Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-12-20
Sam FosGeP apd Che EfliEoP
Chr smas Story of Walkers Divide by Harry Iszard
y for The Custer County Republican,

l<lS hNN0 A aoNt NhSA( 0HH(oA~N~ -
spirited editorial to the effect
that the citizens of Walkers
Divide should put their hands
deep into their pockets and dig
up enough coin to provide a
Christmas dinner for all cowboys
and miners who happened to be
walking on their uppers at that
particular time. Some of the boys
had been playing in pretty hard
luck since winter set in, and
taking it all together, the scheme
looked like middling good one.
AS the editor pathetically re-
marked: "It's not every man
that carries gun, who can
afford to buy turkey at an alti-
tude of 10, 500 feet above sea level. ="
There were also hints thrown
out to leading citizens and good
reasons given why they should
contribute to the cause. Sam
Foster, proprietor of the Gilt
Deck Bungalow, came in for a
generous amount of notice; and
this was the snag that nearly
wrecked the enterprise. In wind
ing up his little article, the
editor said:
Sam Foster, a notorious
citizen, thug and cut-throat of
this town, should contribute
more than any one else; because
it is a we'll known fact that half
of the boys, who are hunting for
grub-stake and haven't enough
of the necessary to buy
solitary white chip, owe their
present condition to this tin horn.
We are surprised some of them
haven't rendered him the sort of
reception that was given to
Purgatory Pete, some months
back; but they evidently know
their own business and it is not
for us to interfere. If Mr..
Foster will send or bring his
contribution to this Office, he
will receive due credit through
these columns
Then there were signs of
trouble, right off. Sam swore he
would drop the diminutive editor
on sight, and sent special
message warning him to keep
under cover; but the little fellow
was not built upon those lines at
all. He continued TO saunter
about town, collecting subscrip-
lions for the dinner, superintend-
ing arrangements and making
himself generally useful. He
and Sam failed to collide, and it
was soon whispered that the big
gambler, and not the editor, was
taking to cover. Be that as it
may, it did not prevent good,
round sum being collected for
the turkeys.
1t was eight days before
Christmas! 1t would take six
days to send freight team over
to Leadville and back. The pass
was barely open, and another
heavy snow would probably close
it for month; so it beloved the
managers of the enterprise to gel
shuttle on themselves. They
chartered Dick Dolman's foul
| full bob, gave him instructions
to buy the best lot of birds ant
fxin's he could for the money
and started him off. AS thu
outfit swung past the Gilt Decl
Bungalow, Sam Foster, who wa
standing in front of the place
gave vent to an able bodied Gus
word and remarked:
"I'll eat my coat if tina
baggage car ever shows up il
this camp with load of turks.
1.-THE editor will make you ca
it, if it don't, said small voice
and as Sam turned quickl
around, the devil of the "Fuse
Office suddenly evaporated.
Things passed quietly enoug
until the afternoon of the sixt
day. All was in readiness
Pretty Polls terpsichorean tel
race had been rented for tn
occasion. Hinckey's brass band
of four pieces, including bias
drum, was engaged. Every dis
in town had been borrowed, til
invitipns were out (given We,
bally) and now, all that n
manned to complete the festivitie
was the precious load of fowl
Night came on, with no sigr
of Dick and his charge.
traveller, who had arrived in
light sleigh, said he had passe
Dolman at the halfway cabil
that he had a fine load on ar