Evening star., 1886-11-13

A Social Event on a Ranch I'm South.
eastern Montana
of THE EVENING STAR.

Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR
SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA, Nov. 1st, 1856.
IprOmised TO tell you something of the social
event OF the season, a cowboy dance, which
took place tho 18th of last month at Shipman S
ranch o. the Mlzpah. 1t was the first Montaua
dance ever attended, and 1t proved as good as
play. Nineteen cowboys assembled To parti-
cipate in the festivities, and nineteen numbers
were sold tor S2.5O each. this being the sum
necessary to deiray expenses. Each received
as he paid his snare a numbered ticket, and
when that number WAS called by the master OF
ceremonies, he was expected TO get a partner
and dance. The available females were seven,
five single and two married. The dancing COLI
menced at 6 p. IN. aud was kept up without a
moments respite till O'Clock the next morn
Ing. One set only could dance a: a time, out
the seven females were kept on their leet about
all night, as they were obliged to keep the nine
from their number. Tiiey were danced
plenty assure you, though they did not
seem to mind. but rather expected and en-
1oyed It, There were three nus .cians, or AS
one cowboy told me on the way down, "There
Is 70 be one vioiin and two nuules" However,
on,s one .,.. huuief played az time wnIe the
the masculine sex, and iIom the fact That but
one set could dance at u time, did not dance
called my nuinber with impsartlality, aud 1
took my place on the floor as regu-
larry as Il was called out For tnis.
Js
gave me chance TO look on, aud loosing
ON was more entertaining than the dancing.
Ihe moous ope randi VI securing q partner was
something As follows: A COW boy walked up 10
girl and said briefly "let's dance" and wiln-
out iurther ado took his place IN the set, hands
Ia MS pockets, leaving the girl 70 follow him.
Inen lne nddier struck oat and the prompter
cAneo the changes, singing q ditty Contain
Ing his 0ireceions, in tune with the melody
tnat the nddier was grinding Out. When t.,e
tuue and dlLty were familiar, ala hands ioined
Ia. great many Of the changes and
Terms were strange - my eastern ears. The
must frequent call was "aiiimand" which
Translated, means all men to the ie,t
ZION, aud tue boy Aid IL with q will, IAiriy TAX
ing the girls OIL t.Vlr teeL As u little outs ide
resresnilent the boys had six bottles OF Nixou's
nre Mater out Ia the barn:
warmed up 0y dancing and whisky, the ;un
grew last ana furious. Soon they c,llid not 20
without their 'schaw." Alter supper. at mid
niKhGs saw the tour men in the set squirting
Streams u tobacco Juice right and eIt jus. ~ II
nappened. aud laying down u tuelr sport with
lnnnite gusto. danced four times once escn
with u Texas widow, y Cheroxeo hali-breed,
aud girl WHO herds bucks, and once with
irisn rustier, "iair, iat aud ior.y" and ] might
add oi the symmetrical proportions OF y hugs
supper when We arrived, supper again NJ mid
nisdt. anu not break iast In the isoruing.
AT daylight alter eating heartily, the boys
mounted taeir horses and rude home, distances
lucy had "nAd = hels-ruaring good tiine." b.
The Rev. Henry Ward Bsechef has declined
the pubic reception rendered MIN by Mayor
Collector Mavone, OF New York, said that the
NOES Imposed up0u steatnshtps under IA ohss-
iaAe law were iislpossd u his absenoe and with.
out his authority.