Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-12-21
A BLACK
HILLS TALE.
A Christmas Incident Of the Early
Days in Hot Spring.


began to write two Fights in the date
lines to their letters; when Hot
Springs was not much of a town, in
fact was barely a small village; when
travelling was done on horseback or
in coaches and freight was hauled
overland by long bull teams; long be-
fore the sprawling Fall river which
now runs down the center of the
street connecting the old with the
new town of Hot Springs, was con
Tined to its present narrow channel
n sidewalks built to enable people
TO get from one town to the other;
when there were not many more than
half a dozen houses and families in
the town which then went by the
,e~uphonious Indian name of Mime
ikahta; in the days when Doe. Pierce,
George Trimmer, Ted and Joe Petty,
Captain Phillips, DR.. Jennings and
Charlie Fargo were all on friendly
terms and everyLSly was full of life
and fun; when Hot Springs wa
peaceful, restful and quiet, with no
thought of the running boom that was
then on the way; when there was
III oh0 tONh anu llClC vas h1Ntl
a suspicion in the minds of any Of the
inhabitants hat a few short years
would bring in~ternecine strife TO
worry the hearts and minds of men
and bring gray hairs in heads that did
not want them.
1t was Christmas and the men who
made up the village of Minnekahta
did not like to let any occasion for
having a good time slip past them
unnoticed. So Doc. Pierce, genial, un-
rheumatic and witty, asked the "boys"
TO come to his log cabin on Christmas
night to celebrate in proper style the
joyous occasion. lie did not promise
them egg-nog, for chicken fruit was
scarce in those days, but told them
that cherry bounce would be a good,
a splendid substitute. And all the
boys, for fifteen years have added
dignity and gray hairs to them, ac-
cepted the invitation as cordially as
it was given.
The day had been cold, very cold,
but towards night the wind shifted to
the northwest, and a snow-melting,
balmy chinook from the Pacific coast
scuttled through the passes in the
mountains and fell into the valley of
Minnekahta. But Doc Pierce did not
go out of the house after the change
in the weather began and he did not
know how much warmer it had sud
denly become; so his stoves were GO
ing full blast and the house was snug
and snugger.
The cherry bounce was made in the
presence of all of the guests. That a
wash bowl, in the absence of a punch
bowl, was used did not detract from
the flavor of the refreshing drink.
Perhaps it added somewhat to the zest
of the evenings frolic, for it was
large and plain and a tin cup dipped
into it's spacious mouth did not seem
out of place.
The warm northwest wind outside
blew strong, and as it whistled round
the corners of the house and groaned
down the ~chimneys, the people inside
huddled up closer TO the fire, and
chilled by the very sound of the wind,
sought help from the wash bowl.
And Doc was at his best. The talk
was not desultory-one had 10 watch
his chance to tell that good story be,
fore another man could get a start.
They talked of their experiences in
the Black Hills, in the west, and some
of them even dared TO tell stories of
their boyhood days when they lived
in Gods country back east"
The time passed merrily and quick
~, and along towards IL o'clock the
wash bowl began to look too large.
And Doc, going into the next room to
get the ingredients to make another
brewing, was dumbfounded to find
that he lacked the essential part-it
had all been used. Then like a skill
full general, he did not let the party
know of his embarrassment, but sent
over to Charley Fargo's department
store, where everything from a shin
gle nail to a windmill was to be had.
and he whispered :x.o the ear of the
errand boyf
Get a quart OF whisky if Charley's
got it. If he hasn't got the whisky,
alcohol will do. And hurry back. The
winds getting colder"
Charley did not have any whisky,
but on the shelf was a bottle labelled
alcohol" and he took that down.
lie did not know that it made any diff
ference, just so it was alcohol, and he
did not attach any Importance to the
significant "W" which stood in front
of the long word. So he filled the bot
tie of the messenger and sent him
back.
But when Doc. took the bottle and
pulled the cork and shifted the con-
tents, he grumbled:
Blast it. he's sent me wood alcohol.
1t may kill the boys, but I've got to
use it. Amt got anything else. |
reckon they're tough enough to stand
it, though"
So the wash bowl was filed and
emptied again. And in the night time
when the little hours are beginning to
grow bigger, one of that jolly party
left Docs house and started up the
valley towards his home. 1t would not
be fair TO call his name, for now he is
n gray-headed man with children
growing up around him, staid and dig
nified; one who has cast aside the
happy follies of youth. But when he
reached his home and had stumbled
into his wife's room, he was wringing
wet from his thighs to his feet, and in
answer to her astonished look of in
quiry he said:
Il didn't know it rained so hard
last night"
He had walked to his home half a
mile away, through the middle of Fall
river instead of following the path
along the bank. And now, on Christ
mas morning, when one of that party
meets him, the greeting is,
Merry Christmas, Cap. Did il rain
hard last night?"