Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-11-10
WHERE WOMEN ARE SCARCE.
a Place in the AdirouGacks THAT
Lacks Female Society.

IN most parts of the east the wall that
goes up from all social affairs is caused
by the lack OF men. In fact, it is the
general impression that our eastern
states are overstecked with women. But
there is at least one school event which
takes place every year within the
boundaries Of New York state where
women are at decided premium. This
is the midwinter dance of the Adiron-
dack guides. In this section of the
mountains it is held every year in
Bishops hotel, at the foot of Cranberry
lake.
Residents Of the city can form no idea
of the Importance which this affair as
sumes in the eyes Of the people who
spend the months of cold and snow up
here, shut off by the rigors Of a noun
tain winter from all communica ton
with the outside world. Everybody
from miles around attends the dance:
they come from all directions and in all
sorts of odd contriyances. There are
guides with their wives from the little
log cabins in the clearings, two or three
S~NAS AAAONAAS u lI1AiOSi&ACA IL I'VE OD
from the logging camps down the
Grasse and Oswegatchie rivers, and
few young guides and hunters come
skating down Cranberry lake from their
lonely winter cabins, where they are
living and spending their time in trap
ping and hunting. The representatives
of the outside world are usually few
consumptives who spend the winter
here and two or three hardy sportsmen
on the lookout for bear.
Altogether the gathering is as motley
and picturesque as anything one could
fancy. The music is supplied by d
couple of violins or fiddles, as they are
universally known hereabouts, a IA
vorite instrument with the mountain
GERS. The usual custom is for volunteer
musicians to take turns at rafting off
iigs, square dances and the ''Virginia
reel" The Crooked 81 and ''Money
Musk" are also prime favorites, and
when they are properly rendered the
big boots of the rest of the company
shake the rafters of the long, low dance
hall The spectacle of these brawny
fellows, many of them six-footers. with
trousers tucked into the tops of their
boots, their dull flannel shirts relieved
by wonderful red neckties, and their
hair plastered down by liberal applica-
tions of bears grease, and the women.
what few Of them there are, in bright
calico gowns, set off by ribbons and
furbeIows and the Wearer's whole store
OF cheap jewelry-the whole scene is
worthy OF canvas. Supper is always
served at midnight, and afterward the
dancing goes on till nearly daybreak,
for although these mountain folk sell
dom turn their hands to social func-
lions, they believe il doing a thing
thoroughly when they do take it up.
The great bar to the complete success
OF these affairs, as has been said al
ready, is the scarcity of women. There
Is an average of one to about every
SIX men, and the sl1irmishing for part
ners is more than lively. Dances are
split not only in two, but into quarters
or ffths, and the complications that
this gives rise to are sometimes settled
by heavy fists in the barroom or on the
snow outside. But what possibilities
this gives fer the coquette, and noun
tain women are not free from coquetry
more than others of their sex.
There are few but married women
here in the mountains, and those few are
invited long before the dance comes off.
Interesting stories are told of exciting
races between rival guides, each anx-
lous to reach the house of some fair one
before the other. Such unmarried wom-
en- as venture in here are quickly
snatched up by some ardent admirer.
and the plainest woman that lives would
have difficulty in continuing her single
state for year if she came into this
part of the country to Iive.-Cincinnati
Commercial Tribune