Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-02-20
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For your 'lations"

goes tne Vdlley prOVeTD, out tne rule
bars no one: for another valley saying
is to the effect that nobody can fire
stone" at random in any of the
Dutch" valleys and not hit his second
cousin.
It promised ideal butchering weather.
AS early as four In the morning
lanterns were dancing like firefiies. All
ing in copper kettles-the valleys sup
ply of kettles; scalding tubs were roll
Ing upon temporary bookings; scrap
ing tables were arising; knives were
grinding, the sound coming up a dull
creaking from behind the corncribs:
and the boys, eager and excited, were
scurrying hither and back in the half
light, shouted at and commanded until
they were like hens with their heads
off" In the kitchen the housewife,
calm but pale, was presiding like
general at the outset OF a campaign,
for the valley eaters, like a flock of
buzZards, were to descend at noon. and
she well knew that her dinner good or
bad, would be y topic for a year to
come.
1t was one OF those clear, crisp morn
ings when there Is n steel ring in the
air and ones breath floats out like
whiffs of smoke. An inch OF frowsy
snow had whisked over everything the
day before, and II had grown colder
black silhouette of Nance mountain,
hung long iron bars Of cloud, untouched
as yet by the approaching dawn. From
the valley there came up a faint mur-
mur, which on the vibrant air, soon
became distinguishable as the grumble
of wheels over a frozen road. Dan
Tressler caught II and Strengthened up
over his grindstone.
BET yeh that's old Milf still. Yas?|
Hear them wheels clunk?" He ran his
thumb critically over the knife edge
then stopped the stone with water from
a gourd. "Old Milf d set up all night
fore he'd let anybody get to butch
erin fore he did wunst. Turn 'er right
up smart, Jakey."
He was a picturesque figure as he
crouched over the flying stone in the
uncertain light, his grizZled beard al
most swe ping the knife in his hands
and his eyes blinking small and sharp
behind iron bowed spectacles. He
T9Te tiSSv At tSa %nist wnIeh Snd Mool ttsd
en- cap pulled down over his
ears. He was an eager little man, who
OH great occasions like this went about
on the dog-trot A wagon drove heav-
lily into the yard, and with a nervous
jerk he wheeled about to meet it, the
long knife fiourishing in his hand.
Wal, now, who'd "a thought 1t
wunst? It's you sure enough. amt it |
now, Milf? And you here Maria? Wal, !
by Chimminy! How gents? Jump |
right out now; the woman's in there |
crazy's a bedbug still. Better go right !
in and help 'er out. Here, puht yer !
boss right in the barn, Milf There |
you be-" He was bustling jerkily about |
the wagon.
That's fine day, Dan"
Yes, sir-r-r-! BY Chimminy, here 1
comes Lem" Another farm wagon |
drove into the yard. and then another |
and another. The crowd was appear !
ing. The little man fairly danced in |
his progress from rig to rig, like
weasel in a trap" as Lem Fisher
phrased il.
The hustle was increasing. Roadside /
and yard were filling rapidly with farm
wagons of all varieties, and with !
horses. No time was lost: each man
had brought some implement that 1t
was his especial duty to furnish at q |
butchering-pulley blocks, hooks, ket-
ties, knives--and each knew his part |
and went at 1t instantly without or
ders The women and the girls went /
straight into the house, where they
took their places with an order and
dispatch gained by the experience OF |
rSany chickering's.
"Ah. here's old Poppy Already Here,
let me help you out, Poppy. Chust you :,
" ait a minute wunst." But the old |
man "a not hear. Horge, wagon and
man seemed incredibly old. Without a
word he hoisted himself over the wheel |
with unchecked wheezes and groans,
then Strengthened up slowly and looked
about him. Then he hardened into a