The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-04-30
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kzNS.seS4 0lSn, open DfluSe-yOu saw
the canal stretching far up and down,
@ level trench of snow, its whiteness
emphasized here and there by a patch
of brown earth showing from some I'M
derwash in the banks. Southwark, at
the center of the town, a file of low
decked boats lay sOldered to their
wharfs by snow covered ice. In the
near fields to the north the white
ridges, pilled with last years corn
stalks, suggested to boys and dogs the
rich possibilities in rablSts. The like
possibilities, though in lesser degree
We're suggested by the nearer common
thickly bestrewn as it's white surface
was with black f1anked logs, lying
there each under it's long, narrow nap
kin of snow until the iron toothed gor
mand, whom one could hear wheeling
at his feast from over on the river
bank, should be ready to have them
served to him, and the rows of foot
tracks, juvenile and canine, running all
about limited of efforts to realize OIL
. some such possibilities here. A wider.
whittier common on the east, with the
clumps Of white houses, smoking chin
ucNS anu DIdCh COWSucuo VII iIo CuSC
and the steel blue sky dropping down
beyond, was a very picture of the sea.
son. Over a large millpond on the west
glided the skaters, boys and girls who
had themselves with shovel and broom
by hard, hot labor in brief hours after
school cleared of snow the scant ways
they traversed. In one corner of this
millpond on the morrow, if the NOR.
row CHANGED to be q Sunday, in pool
relieved of ice for the occasion and
hedged about by throng of specta-
tors, they would baptize the latest con
verts of the winter revivals.
Hither and thither, about and all
through the town, wound the deep
trodden foOtpaths, so narrow that
when two people met one must needs
step out into the full depth of the
snow, for no provision of ordinance or
custom eXacted of householders any
contribution in this sort to the public
convenience, and, except in small
patches at gateways and before the
doors and stores the snow was left
lying until sun and travel dissolved it.
And since in Osceoa the rubber boot
was as yet unknown and the rubber
shoe was disdained of men as a wear
beneath their manhood one rarely fail.
ed to find in the houses and the stores
q man sitting with his feet flattened
against the hot stove, sizzling off the
snow taps from his boot heels.
In milder seasons the prevailing form
of social entertainment was evening
teas, but now there was apt to be a
round of rather stately dinner parties
The ladies came in carefully treasured
black silk gowns, of the richest and
stifrest material, with wide collars OF
white lace and lace edged white lawn
undersleeves. The men wore coats OF
black broadcloth, no less carefully KEEP
and no less excellent in quality, anC
high, stiff collars, swathed in black
silk or satin neckerchefs. The dinner
cooked mainly by the hostess owl
hand, was served in two courses, bu
out of it's abundance might easily hay,
furnished forth twelve or fifteen, of til,
daintiness which courses acquire whel
they are made particular point of
Turkey and oysters, four or five vege
tables, a like number of cooked fruits
pickles sour and pickles sweet, COFFEE
and hot rolls, with a dessert of tw'
kinds of pie, rich preserve served il
cream and a cake that was the che
d9uvre of the feaSt-thCSe We're tn
least that decency would allow, ant
the guest was expected not to elect be
tween them, but to eat somewhat o
all.
The company came to table for thes
dinners with a certain hesitation an
awkwardness, and for a little Will
after they were seated conversatio
rather Jagged. First there fell SHARP
eXpectant silence until the minister,
present, as he usually was, had invoh
ed a blessing. Then as the host too
carving knife and fork In hand an
rose from his chair with a certain col
fidence, every eye and all attentio
were fixed intently on him and remain
ed so fixed while with a single sturd
stab he planted the fork immovabl
astride the knob of the breastbone {
the turkey and with his keen knit
deftly unjointed wings and legs, CT
away the, white breast meat in thil
wide slices and by bold strok
through the bones and tissue of eithe
flank and a nice, quick turn on til
handle of the fork triumphantly clea
ed away the breastbone and expose
to appetiZing view a steaming, odori
erous mound of gray stuffing. Wit
this the company drew an audib
breath and settled back eomfortabl
in their seats, as when midair acrob;
concludes his feat without breaking h
neck, and shortly the talk began
show something like fluency. But u
til the carving was we'll achieved, b
yond staple compliment or two
the carver, usually tipped with jest
save it from any suspicion of sent
ment or fulsomeness, and perhaps
10 l,A 1,