Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-23
MOTHER ABE.

FoihEs AbLs
leisure hours, writes n correspondent in
that cold capital TO tho St. Louis Globe
Democrat. IL Il almost tho same spectacle,
only set of by the novel environment Of
glaciers
Tho popular dance hall Is the biggest
building in tho place excepting the head
quarters Of the Canadian police 1t is near
ly 75 feet long and fully 90 feet In width,
and nc night IL transformed from a cold,
tcnantlcss, barnlilse structure into rcck-
less rcvcl, and all the women Of Dawson
who did not include good regulations in
their outfits when they left the States can
b. seen in tho thron1 that fills the place,
and rough miners and moro polished ten.
dcrfcct vic with each other for the generous
smiles Of tho fair sex.
Over In ono corner plano that must
have scen better days. whcczy horn OF
owo inspiring antiquity and m Instrument
that II would bc gross flattery TO call fid-
die yield up plaintive discortls to the CT.
forts Of their griEzlcd manipulators
But the dancers do not mind the absence
Of rual music-all they demand Is noise
nnd certain regular rhythm and plenty
OF drinks, and all these the management
supplies In abundance, the last commodity
being as tho uniform rate Of SO cents per
and take your choice
An old woman who looks rs II she had
been dried ont during one OF the hot SPELLS
0nd had never rccupcratcd Is the leading
dispenser Of liquids, ind she Is familinrly
called by tho old timers Mother Abe -
Why Abo nobody has been able 70 explain.
Perhaps there was an Abe once to whom
she was attached by ties matrimonial, but
at present she Is an unattached barmaid
and the only widow ION the dixie"
ION the dixie" is the. reigning slang
here, and seems 20 he transplanted and
transmitted form Of that choice American.
ism ION the pike"
IL will be necessary In polite society to
draw veil over the dance hall scenes but
one incident is Of such frequent repetition
Tint 10 conveys an instructive suggestion
OF lifc In Dawson. A miner in proper
mining garb was dancing with the belle
OF the ball. who responds to the PLEASING
nppcllation Of Cert" He was making Z
sorry mess Of his light fantastic effort.
producing q spectacle more fantastic than
light, when the lady In tho case students
left him 10 bcstow her Establishments on d
youthful new arrival who bore evidences
OF recent contact with civilization.
The miner seemed dazed for an instant
but promptly pulled himself together lit
orally when the pair came whirling TO
ward him In o regulation walta step with
out any Klondike frills He Just brocet
himself, grabbed the young man by tn,
collar and the other traditional place and
threw him cleonly through o window
murmuring a. he did so, I'm teach yor
tenderfect TO leave my girl alone" Their
he calmly seized the giegling maid with
out cracking . smile himself and sesumet
his contortions.
Il IL only tho newcomers, however, VII,
arc subjected to such humiliating fiight
through space Tho others are better &C
quaintcd with the unwrittcn laws tina
prevail and mako no breaks which the,
arc not prepared TO stand by and Eight for
Tho gambling house Is tho natural asso
ciatc Of the dance hall In Dawson ant
stands close by its SIDE But a. far as tina
IL concerned, tho eain bling house in SOM
manifestation seems 10 be close BY the sid
Of almost everything else in the city.
The place most freGuented and that hA
che honor Of running the "star dust game
NOT "star dust. bus "gold dust"-.i
known as Jos's plaos and Is taking in eol,
about - fast ~ the miners cad dig II
This whole proposition in the Klondike
o form Of gamble and naturally the mel
who have taken tho chances are possesse'
Of that subtle thing. tho gambling In