Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20

heard talk Of thar Mind since he was
boy in the old homefM other parts Of the
world. Then a choir sang gospel hymns.
and the first chorus ever in the Klondike
raised its voice when' the familiar tunes
were sung. The enthusiasm was unbound
ed. Some men wepti tears Of joy at the
realization that away up there in the far
thermost corner Of the earth they were
hearing melodies they had not heard since
they were at their mothers knees. How
the assemblage cheered. Great boots stamp
ed the floor Big fists pounded the pine
benches and rough voices called, 'Hit 'em
again. Keep her up and That's bully"
When midnight drew near Mccarthy,
who had arranged that the first Christmas
in Dawson should be properly saluted, led
several score of men, armed with shotguns,
rifles and revolvers, out of doors. When
the whistle at Ladue's sawmill screeched
we knew that Christmas had dawned. In
trice began a fusillade of weapons. In
few minutes the miners came back into the
saloon with their guns For an hour more
there was a season of handshakings and
snatches of songs, until the candles began
to sputter. While over 100 of the miners
slept on McCarthys floor that night, most
of us people who lived In the neighborhood
went back to our cabins, feeling our way
as best we could in the darkness. and
scarcely uttering word because OF the
freezing blasts
When the dreary daylight appeared next
day at about 10 o'clock all Dawson was up.
There was no time lost in morning toilets
there, where every one slept in hunks and
where few people dressed or undressed for
weeks at time in midwinter. At noon the
Christmas feast, prepared with infinite
pains and care for variety, was served at
McCarthy's If Dawson stands thousand
years that first Christmas feast will not be
forgotten Tables made by laying boards
across barrels were set up at McCarthy's.
The diners sat on boxes, kegs and benches.
There were no table cloths to be had any
sole table Ornament2ttOnS
were sprigs of green from the pine trees.
But the cheeriness OF the scene, primitive
though it was, in that land OF Whitened des-
olation and melancholy, touched the flint
lest heart among u.s. The women and their
husbands acted as walters. No meal pre-
pared by the most famous chef was ever
more eagerly devoured. me miners mao
brought their own cups and plates and iron
knives forks and spoons. Several men who
had silver-plated table utensils were looked
upon as ariStocratS.
A blessing was asked by an old scotch
miner from Bonanza creek, and then we
brought in from McCarthy's kitchen pans
of baked beans, followed by stewed goldfish:
The reader may smile at such articles OF
diet for a Christmas dinner, but 1T took
a lot of gold dust to buy them, and no end
of planning with our limited markets to
arrange so varied bill of fare. Next
came an Alaskan preparation Of cakes OF
baked salmon, then steWed prunes ana
tarts of dried apples sweetened with con-
tea and then cigars which would be dear
at five cents each in the United States, but
which cost seventy cents In Dawson, were
passed But the jollity of 1t all Is past
telling There was no end of jesting and
humorous comparisons of our spread on
the banks Of the frozen Yukon with Christ
mas dinners that we knew were sumptuous-
ly laid in American homes, away off in the
land of children and the joys OF the regu-
lation Christmas-tide.
Whew! how the good things disappeared
before the bewhiskered, shaggy, jovial din
ers. When the last bit Of food had disap-
peared the men lighted their cigars ana
pipes. Mccarthy made a speech, in which
he said that the men had come prepared
to contribute toward a public hospital in
Dawson, because scurvy was killing some
men and here and there was fellow who
had lost a foot or hand by freezing.
Mrs. Allen was named as receiver Of the
contributions, and she put a tin can on the
table. The miners filed past her one by
one, and east cast IN his contribution Of
gold dust nuggets. One man gave two
pounds of gold (worth over $780, Every
one contributed something. I don't be-
leve an assemblage of like size was ever
so generous, for in ten minutes the tin
can contained over fifty pounds Of gold,
which was later cashed by the Alaska
Commercial Company for s1075S. That was
the beginning of the first public charity in
the Klondike.
For several hours that Christmas day we
gave way TO all the Iun ana JOlllty we cOuld
muster. One man, an old sailor had bat
tered violin with him, and while he
squeaked out airs on bis instrument there
We're accompanying songs. Everyone who
could tell a story was pressed to speak,
while those who knew songs were urged
on by the clapping of hands and approving
shouts. But, oh, how We did long for
child to make our Christmas the gladder!
Two Frenchmen sang the 'Marsei1laise."
Several men who knew the words Of our
national hymn, THE Star Spangled Ban
ner.'' led the singing Of that, and a chorus
of 200 voices Joined in humming the air.
L doubt II any of US ever heard music that
went deeper into our souls. The leaders
were repeatedly called to sing the song
over and over again The second time we
sang it through more fervently than at
first. A half dozen times more we sang 1t
until voices drowned the bowling Of
the wind outdoors. We forgot, for a time,
how far we were from our home land, and
in our enthusiasm all shook hands dozens Of
times. Some old fellows eyes were wet
with gladness. 1t was the first time the
national hymn was ever sung on the Klon-
dixie.
In Difference to our English and Cana
dian friends, on whose soil We were max
ing our golden riches, we sang God Save
the Queen
Then for several hours, until the candles
melted to mere stubs, and the building was
clouded with dense tobacco smoke, the
miners recited bits of verse they had gath
cred in their life in various mining camps,
and told of other Christmas days In other
chimes, where there were Christmas chimes,
visions of Santa Claus, giving of gifts and
romping, happy children.
A dozen men made speeches, a few Of
them genuinely humorous. appropriate to