Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-22
MILLS GOSSIP.
Items Of Interest Noted Down ny LsAy
COrsespondent.
New York EraIllc
BLACK HILLS LEGAL rExDER.


Correspondent.
New York Graphic.
BLACK HILLS LEGAL TENDER
Speaking Of gold, must tell you that
gold dust il legel tender here to any amount
from five cents up and it ia amusing TO zee
ladies shopping with their bottles OF gold
dust, in place Of dainty portetnonnsie and
and crisp greenbacks. II takes some tine to
get accustomed TO this currency, and even
now am not able 10 count my change. II
am obliged to look wise and trust @ the
honeety, or more often the diihonesty of the
shopkeeper. 1ys
THE LUxDRY OF Being CLEAN.
The Chia.ss .hsn 6aeksl hIs IN grsk.
numbers and one sees their quaint signs III
over the town-Sam Sing. Wing Lee, Ok
Kee, Kung Wah, ETC., washing and ironing
and must give my testimony that what
ever they do they do we'll. When l first
arrived here found that clean linen was q,
luxury to be indulged in sp .ringly, but op-
position in trade has finally reduced the
price Of washing to 50 dozen, and, from
the appearance of most persons, should
Judge that only the few could afford that.
CHINESE PARTY
Preparations for somc festivity seemed
to he in progress yesterday at Chinese
wash house, within range of my window
tea party or kettledrum, should suppose
Tor several gorgeously attired Chinese
women severally wended their wsv there
They were arrayed in gay .colored loose
trousers, flowing silk blouses, lined and
faced with bright colored gold pins and or.
naments in their black hair, and the0out
ensemNe-bias eyes and bright silk ker-
chiefs on their heads-looked precisely like
the pictures one sees on fivecent fan.
hastily seized my opera glass (relic of civil
ization), and ensconced myself behind my
curtain and gazed with intense in terest
while the tiny cups Of tea were passed
around, the various dishes Of sweetmeats
tasted, and lastly, the opiun-plres lighted,
and passed from mouth TO mouth till the
chatterng gradually grew less, and finally
ceased as they were in turn overcome with
stupor. When they recovered from its ef-
fects they took their departure, chattering
noisily, no doubt expressing themselves po-
litely and volubly in Chinese concerning
the charming time they had had, and how
| for such delightful entertainment There
is good deal of the same kind of humbug
all over the world, find.
| CAMP ODDITIES.
There are many odd people here, and
many nice people too. II takes all kinds to
make mining camp, you know-Lankers
spectators, judges and capitalists, elbow
miners, gamblers, people who have been in
penitentiaries, and people who ought to be
there. Butternut trousers, woolen shirts
and top boots s the prevailing style here
and any other costume is the exception
Among our notabilities might mention
''Trail Pete" "Buckskin Charley" an
Englishman, whose name before he dissipa
ted his immense patrimony and retired from
civilization was Reginald Grant Dalton
'Tooth-wick Joe" and the Utter boys, thes,
last two bearded desperadoes. with aubur,
curls reaching far below their cartridg
belts, and better known by the soubrique
Of the "sorrel-haired twins," and many 9th
ers too numerous TO mention. Most of thes
are restless spirits, who have been in ever,
camp in America California, Nevada
Idaho, Montana and Utah; they have al
killed their man or two, fought Indians
J faro and starvation, and now agree tina
"America is played out. Railroads, tele
graphs aud such new tangled notions hav
spoiled Too many people spreadir
round" And many Of them are talkir
seriously of taking prospecting trip ,
South Africa, not that anything particular
rich has been found there, but they must g
somewhere ont Of civilization, and the
have completely exhausted America.
DEADwooD ROMANCE.
To be successful in mining camp re
Quires peculiar fitness for the life Man
Of the large army of "tenderfeet' an
"pilgriu 8" who tiocked here from the ca
last spring, expecting to peck up nugget
Of gold in the streets, have returned hon
disappointed and disgusted. Others sti
e remain without the means Of returning, an
willing to doanything to keep from ttarvin,
. Among the many waters at the Welc
House here is a quiet, gentlemanly youn
fellow, whose refined face and manner
show plainly his superiority to his occul
alton. After watching him atttentivelv fc
!. daw or two, l startled him with the que.
tion allow long have you been waiting !
He flushed and replied: Madame, this
my first experience" On making fur;he
, inquiries discovered that he was colles
graduate, and belonged to good an
wealthy family east. His father faile,
:, and he took charge of high school in f
9 mira. N. Y. The Black Hills fever brok
out, and he with others started for Dea,
wood to make fortune. On his arriv,
he soon discovered that his luxurious st,
dent life had not fitted him for such an e.
perience. He could find nothing to d.
, and as at last resource accepted the positic
= Of hotel waiter, hoping to earn enough
that capacity TO enable him to retrace h
II steps home. He still takes my order
e and serves my steak and coffee with
v courtly grace better suited 10 drawin
room, and is gaining more experience
life and people than he ever dreamed
during his more prosperous days. fe
sorry for him, but his experience ia on
one Of many here.
F. THE BELLE OF THE BLACK HILLS.
l. Central City, has the advantage of us ,
g in one respec,-she can claim, as residel
!. the only young lady, in the Black Hi
!. When ! say young lady, mean it in eve
- sense Of the word. She is eighteen, lovel
ot accomplished and charming. Her far
has extended far and wide, and il is ncesll,
TO cay that she can have her choice Of all d
unmarried men in the Hills and many
10 our young bankers, lawyers and capitali