Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-23
Christmas in Gilt Gdge
Poverty Prevailed Blu: All Made Merry at the Dance.
BY JOHN d. RITCH.
r YEARS AGO

beautiful jag and a valuable expert
ence. This was one of the pleasant.
est episodes of the day.
The writer knows of two bachelors
who feasted that memorable Christ.
mas on lapjacks, q n of Holsters
and boiled cabbage. and enjoyed the
meal 10 the limit; and a neighboring
bachelor friend. more fortunate in his
possessions, had ilapjacks. boiled po.
Jatoes and pork, while still another
couple of bachelors. who had fore
seen the calamity and provided for il,
actually had baked beans and pork,
aud not biscuit. one OF these latter
now furnishes ono OF the big board.
Ing houses ~ Kendall with a much
more elaborate menu. but IL is prob
ably nOt more appreciated than were
the beans OF ten years ago. Some OF
the boys didn't have much dinner at
all. but the ]proprietOrs of the hotel
had saved a large amount Of cab
bage from the general wreck when
the company failed and they gener.
ously donated 4 supply of these 10
those who were entirely out OF pro
visions. just think of cabbage straight
for Christmas dinner. Many OF the
families had not as much as even the
bachelors. and we recall a few famI-
lies that lived on potatoes straight
until necessity compelled the heads
20 20 on the range in the vicinity and
rustic beef to relieve their pressing
wants.
IrvHfV.r IL. 1.NH Wh. rp..fa mot fl4
went forth that the tow7 would dance
at m, hotel in the evening; when
evening came The town was there.
And il was here that We saw a GEM.
, jnely pleasant time. Everybody vas
equal. for, TO use an expressive yer.
nacular. they were all on the hike.
and the general objective was 10 get
as much pleasure out o: the occasion
as possible. Not In our varied career
have we seen the right hand TO part
nerS and grand right and left exc
Cuted with so much vigor; meet your
partner with a double swing and just
keep a hookin' on was performed
with the acme Of alertnoss and eX-
petition. and when the fiddler began
10 wiring the dulcet strains of Betsy
from Pike" IRON the interior of his
paganinni the pOetiCal precision with
which the walters followed the
changes was a dream in itself. Out
side the wind blew and the great
clouds Of snow ratified and beat
against ,hc windows. hut inside Red"
Brown calamity led the Lancers in
his blue oycralls. and Long Willis
waltzcd and schnttisrnod until the
last note OF the violin sank wavcring-
ly into silence. leaving n memory 70!
home. sweet home. This dance was
genuinely democratic Ia all its fca-
lures and truly enjoyable to all The
participants. No lunch was served,
because everything in the line Of eat.
abl,s was being reserved for n nor
strenuous period that was TO follow
no collection a made for the fiddler.
for he was one OF us and made a
hearty contribution of his talents that
others might enjoy themselves; no
unpleasant occurrence married the
pleasures of the event. for there was
not enough distilled disturbance ia
the crowd TO aus the green-eyed
monster to go on the rampage without
cause.
The memory of that Christmas ten
years ago still doubtless fingers in the
mind OF every one sc unfortunate as
To have been both snow and money
bound in Gilt Edge at that time. but
time has worn smooth the harsher sur
faces OF the memories Of those times
and we have but pleasant recollec-
tons OF our first Christmas and win
ter in Gilt Edge. when We remember
il as one of the experiences" that go
TO make the full measure in the span
Iof life.