Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-05-03
EVERYBODY DANCES AT NOME.
How the Shut In Folks Pass the Long,
Dark Winters.

four months is an exceedingly busy
time, writes a Nome correspondent Of
the Minneapolis Journal, when ships
come and go, transporting thousands
OF gold seekers and bringing in the
annual shipment of all the camp re-
quires in the way Of mining supplies,
coal, provisions, lumber and so on.
1t Is the time when hundreds of min
ing dealers are put through with capi-
talists all over the world, who come
or send their agents. Social life in
the popular sense is practically ex-
tinct during the open season.
Should you chance to listen to the
greetings and common topics Of con-
versation at the mines, on the street,
in the store, office. church, clubroom
or saloon in October you would hear
everybody asking everybody else:
Are you going outsider" Nome Is
largely a city of transients. Those
who by fortune or misfortune are des-
tined to spend the winter in Nome
feel in a sense as II they had enter
ed little world all their own, and
it Is not without reason that they
speak of the rest Of Uncle Sans do
minion as the outside" When the
smoke Of the last season disappears on
the horizon in the fall many lone
ly prospector stands on the beach and
tries to hide his emotion as he thinks
Of his loved ones far across the seas.
Nevertheless, the whole town draws a
sigh of relief, for the business strain
and uncertainty Of the summer months
demand a more orderly and restful
state of affairs.
The winter season Is the social sea-
son at Nome. 1t begins in earnest in
November and Is the most pleasant
time Of the year. Then travelling with
horses, dogs or skis is easy and en-
joyable, since instead Of soft, "toe
twisting tundre" you have magnificent
expanses Of snow over which you may
travel from place to place.
Alaska is a terribly slandered coun-
try. Fur coats, boots and "uarkas'
are splendid things to have on the
trail in a case Of a cold snap. But peo-
Pile in Nome dress just as they do in
Minneapolis. The first years every
body wore Esquimau furs and "muk-
luks." Then came the felt shoe peri
cd, when everybody put off the un-
graceful and uncomfortable 'mukluk'
for felt shoes. Now the felt shoe has
given way to the patent leather shoe
for street and town wear.
A year ago last winter the mercury
played around zero most Of the time.
For a few days 1t was nearly fifty
above and at no time through the
winter did It fall lower than 35 below
zero. Some winters. are colder, OF
course, just as they are here. In jan
uary and February Of each year we
usually have a protracted thaw OF
few days or two weeks, accompanied
by rain.
The popular amusements in Nome
during winter are dancing and ath-
overdone during the first winters. Old
men and women whose knees almost
ratified with age took dancing lessons.
Nearly every evening in the week was
given up to public dancing, and to
make matters worse liquor flowed
freely. The punch" booth was often
a financial and hilarious success. Mo-
where in the world has Terpsichore
had as faithful and ardent worship
ers as at Nome. One day one Of my
church members said to me:
"Tve been a good Methodist for for
ty years and have fought dancing all
my life, and now I am taking dane
ing lessons"
But basketball and indoor baseball
are the most interesting and popular
winter events. Skiting Is a pleasant
pastime in the fall before the snow
flies or when large open lead in the
broken sea ice freezes over near
Nome. But more popular than any
other outdoor sports are skiing and
"dog mushing." The word "mush" Is
corruption Of the French word
"marche.' The Sunday ski jumps are
often attended by hundreds OF enthu-
siasts who drive out to the foothills
with horses or dogs or run out on
their skis. Ski races are also very
popular. When the trails are in good
condition and the weather fine a trip
to the mines or along the rough pres
sure ridges Of ice blocks on the sea-
shore by dog team is very interesting
specially If the dog should happen to
start for home without you.
We have no theaters at Nome, but
sufficient talent can always be Sc
cured to give splendid recitals. en-
tertainments and lights operas. THE
Mikado," Queen Esther" Mistress
Nell" etc., are instances Of what has
been given in the past. Nearly every
night Of the week Is taken up by some
public attraction. We even have prize
fights. At the recitals and kindred
entertainments the finest floral deco
rations are N evidence. No flowers In
winter? CT Nations. roses Of all tints
and shades, in fact, all kinds Of flow
ers can be had at the drug store-if
you care to buy some tissue paper
and pianist accept a bunch of tissue
paper roses or carnations with as
much grace and appreciation as If
they were real.
Nome is the gossip's paradise. To-
ward spring everybody's pedigree Is
carefully examined into the third and
fourth generation Then just as the
hair pulling season begins some one
exclaims: Steamer in sight" Church
bells ring, steam whistles blow. dogs
howl. On the beach two or three
thousand pioneers stand and wait for
new faces, old friends and fresh eggs.
In their friendly jostle and common
interest the past is forgotten.
IA The guests at a party usually feel