The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-08-24
THE FIRST WOMAN NCAMP.
A Warm Welcome in the Far
West

June 30 was day of jollifcation at
Carbonate, Col, being the advent of the
first wagon, the first woman, and the
first board from the mill. 1t
would have been interesting to the read
er to witness the electrifying effect on
the men in camp when word was
passed along the line that woman was
coming. Long before she was within
mile of the camp knots Of men were
were gathered here and there watch
ing, looking in the direction from
whence the wagon was to come. As she
hove in sight, each one gathered around
his camp, as when an alarm had been
sounded in prairie-dog town. When
tation the woman alighted and accom-
panied by her husband proceeded to
the county clerks quarters. But the
crowd which had gathered around the
office for mail receded respectfully each
side of the entrance. AS she passed in,
Colonel Ferguson sernely loomed up,
and, sailing out among the boys, agita-
ted reception.
Seized by the inspiration, a hundred
hats were removed from heads of noble
structure and design-siluriated some
what, perhaps-and a hundred horny
palms passed over the unkempt locks to
smooth them down; vests were pulled
down, and hundred pair of eyes ran
down the respective owners' digging
clothes" proudly inspecting the newt
able "ball stitch" which rejoined the
dismembered seam or held in place the
patch of conspicuous Dimensions. By
look of common consent the colonel was
the man selected to make the reception
speech. uneasily pluming his nous
tache with carbonate stained fingers,
the colonel approached her, ard, fol-
lowed by the uncovered heads, he mad
vertently yanked frog from his throat
and began:
Respected madam and hundred
heads nodded assent. Appealing again
to his moustache for he needed inspira-
ton the colonel resumed again: Ere
spected madam-the illuminating spec
tire of this most fascinating OCCASION"
again in ascent. Pluming again the
source Of inspiration, the hating colonel
staggered on: Foot prints of thine,
| which have first fallen on our carboni-
| ferrous soil, we welcome thee. Mercury
in her areial fight trails through the STAR
| ry architraves of heaven, to trail over
| the siturian outcrops of Garfield
| country. which has become sacred to us
from toll, vicissitudes, and privations.
1t is ours by right of discovery, and you
are welcome. We are conversant with
| your sex and some of ,Is have been VIC
| tilnized. We have learned to love and
cherish in memory the tiny fingers
which were rubbed over our biscuits in
other days and we languish for the same.
The delicacy of sewing on buttons (thim-
bleless) is our and ours toll stained robes
bear the traces of the silurian outcrop.
For months we have been here sur
rounded by the beautiful crystalline
pearls OF heaven, which have banked
about and around us, and our only SOL
ace has been the chirp of the camp bird
and the weird wailings of the metamor-
phic blasts We have long anticipated
the daisy, struggling through the snowy
depths to comfort us. as the day drew
near when we laid by our snowshoes on
the limestone lodges, but this occasion is
most sublime, undreamed of, AMI un-
precedented in the history of our new
country. Thou hast come upon us like
a perfume freighted breath of the gentle
springtime, and thou art the shrine to
which we bow and bring tribute, and,
in behalf Of these, my partners in the
struggle, who stand before you with un-
covered heads, some of them glistening,
like FURNISHED disc in the silurian
sunlight, heads which have been robbed
of capillary traces from inevitable coz
tract, again say, welcome. Denver
News.