Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-12-21

trieVe the raWhide and again slide
down. We children enjoyed watching
him In the cold from cur vantage
point OF q comparatively warm room.
The Salt Lake stage could not make
its usual trip, but the Virgins Civ
stage arrived about on time, generally
to announce that It had been held up.
The Road Agents, thanks 70 their or
ganizatiOn, were becoming very bold
little dreaming what fate held III store
for them In the near future Freight
trains having given up the journey
from Salt Lake because Of the snow
Plummer and his men confined their
activities mainly to the Virginia City
coach, which accounts for its being
more frequently robbed than during the
summer. There was always considerable
excitement In town when the stage
driver and passengers Of this coach
made their report Of what had occurred
on the journey, yet no one proposed a
remedy for the outrages.
Such was the setting for our first
Christmas in the Rocky mountains. On
Christmas eve we hung the stockings
according to our custom, believing iEn-
plicitly thev would Be filled, and failing
TO realize that due to the recent nom
arrival Of freight trains, supplies of
all kinds were extremely limited, ex-
cept liquor.
Our fireplace, built Of field stone, ac-
commodated good sized logs, and pro-
vided a cheerful blaze furnishing a
certain amount OF heat, although most
of It went up the chimney. The fire
place and the small sheet iron stove in
the kitchen, which had served us we'll
while crossing the plains, were our
only means Of warming the house.
There being no mantlepiece, the
Hsa4a
or bench by the fireplace, and with the |
selfishnesS of the young, we failed TO
notice that none OF them belonged to |
the elder members Of the family. Mine |
were the largest.
The following morning. as usual, we
children Wakened and were I'D long /
before daybreak to discover what our
stockings held. have not the slightest
recollection Of what the others found
was too bitterly disappointed to no
tice. My stockings we're strangely mis-
shapen and gave promise OF contain
Ing something worthwhile. I hopefully
took them down, and drew out a sturdy
pair Of shoes. felt like crying, and
probably did.
To my way Of thinking, shoes were
not in the line of presents. Our par
ents bought them for us as a matter
Of course, we giving them no thought.
was sadly in need Of new footwear
rs those in which I started on our
westward trek were ufiwearable, and
he new ones were bought at mining
amp price. It made no difference, my
Christmas was spoiled; I had no book.
Perhaps it may be thought our
Christmas dinner would redeem the
lay. Only a few weeks earlier, Henry
Plummer had given a Thanksgiving
least to which my father and mother,
Col. Sanders and his wife, were in
7ited, when the best the Salt Lake
market afforded in the way Of eat
sbles, loaded the table, with accom-
1anying wines. It was q great affair.
But this was before winter set in, and
freight and express was still being
moved.
Christmas proved to be another story.
Little by little supplies were exhausted,
until about all one could buy was meat
If q number of kinds, dry beans, and
possibly few dried apples. Ny father |
to purchased for $75, 100
1ound sack OF poor grade flour, ana
considered himself fortunate to get II
1t any price We may have had q
launch Of venison, as game, such as
ieer, antelope, elk and moose was
plentiful; but we should have eaten It Z
without salt If we had not providently
yathered q gunnysack full from the
yrouno, when passing through Wy
ming Sugar was ours in q similar
way. Kerosene favored the sugar Of
/ local merchant. We bought It, and
when made into syrup 1t lost the faint
Il oil.
AS a substitute for butter, we fol-
owed the example of the Indians, using
narrow. Salads were out Of the Ques-
ion, and also mince and pumpkin
1ies. There being neither eggs nor
,utter, cakes we're not included in the r
menu, but the traditional fruit pudding, Il
had It been possible TO buy ingredients /
or It, might have gone TO the table
With brandy burning. Cranberry Jelly 1
md celery were then only beginning 4
o be used IN the middlewest, the lat
er being considered questionable ar
,icle Of food, and no vegetables Of any |
description graced our Christmas board.
However, we dined abundantly, If de-
lied the usual holiday fare.
Avoid accidents. Drive carefully.