Show B OTara I br r for iJ on OH ra T r r e T r e er I The Story of the Most Unusual Celebration in in American History ir f i w k 1 v tt V j s ti 1 ot n v u W Ww Yaa v V w o- o L i i I 4 t M V k J. J Ji J. J i VA w 1 Y ie c. c 5 3 pd nw aYo Old Fort Abraham Lincoln in the wintertime From a contemporary photograph by D D. D F. F Barry By ELMO SCOTT WATSON VATSON Released by Western Newspaper Union T WAS VAS the day before Christmas 1875 at old Fort Abraham Abra Abra- Abraham IT ham Lincoln on the Dakota frontier In the quarters of Francis M. M Gibson of the Seventh Cavalry his young bride Katherine Gibson was struggling with the problem of decorating the bare little rooms for the Christ Christ- mas Tree party which they were planning to give that evening Soldiers sent out to scour the neighborhood for any any- anything anything anything thing resembling a tree had returned with a few forlorn branches of sage and cedar brush But undaunted by this poor substitute for Christmas greenery the young couple set to work They hung the boughs on stout cords from the ceiling down to within a afew afew afew few feet of the floor Beneath they placed a washtub decorated with gaily painted pa pa- paper paper paper per and filled with sand In the latter they buried what few gifts they had been able to purchase from the scanty stocks of mer mer- merchants merchants merchants chants in the crude little frontier town of Bismarck a few miles away Well call it a n Christmas pie cried Katherine Gibson with a brave laugh But the room still lacked a fes- fes festive festive tive holiday appearance so they set Mt to work on sheets of plain pa pa- paper paper paper per which she had saved They colored the paper with paints then cut it into long strips to serve as festoons To their aid came several young officers of the Sev Sev- Seventh Seventh Seventh recently arrived at Fort Lin Lin- Lincoln Linloln coln from West Point With silver foil that had been wrapped around cigars these youngsters covered the few nuts available and hung them on the makeshift Christmas tree Other officers' officers wives contributed ed old Christmas cards resurrected resurrected resurrected from their trunks and they tied them on the tree with scraps of faded ribbon that had been ironed and freshened They colored candles with red paint cut them in two and perched them jauntily on the branches of the tree They fashioned a big bell out of paper that had been colored red and pasted out cut-out pictures of Santa Claus on its edges As for refreshments for the party what party what if the post traders trader's store had only a meager supply of such staples as sugar coffee flour and the like Somehow young Katherine Gibson managed to get together some sandwiches a cake a small amount of candy and lemonade made from citric acid crystals But her greatest triumph was was ice cream It was ice cream made from con con- condensed condensed condensed milk whipped-up whipped gelatine and the whites of eggs The mail mail- mailman mailman mailman man had brought these eggs from Bismarck and he had wrapped them in cotton and carried them inside his buckskin shirt next to his warm body to keep them from freezing By late afternoon the young of ol- officer officer and his bride were ready to receive their guests Soon a laughing throng had gathered in their house for the festivities and But let Katherine Gibson tell the story of that party and its unexpected and dramatic after after- aftermath math surely math surely one of the strang strang- strangest est Christmas Eve celebrations ever held in America Here is the story told in her own words Christmas Eve dawned bright and clear and the temperature had ed d. d Someone brought an lin old banjo another an another other had an antique guitar another a II Jews Jew's With such dance music provided we swung Into the virginia Vir Virginia ginia Reel with much merriment and then the old square dances had their turn him What a beautiful time Urne we hadl had Finally before midnight Lieutenant Gibson being officer of the day had to tomake tomake tomake make his rounds of the outposts and shortly afterward the party broke up tired but happy When the last guest had departed 1 i thought I would take a peep Into the kitchen now dark and deserted descried so with lighted candle held high I opened the thedoor thedoor door As the flame stabbed through the thed darkness d I suddenly gasped and gazed before DMore b fore me with startled eyes for on the porch appeared some strangers hud hud- huddled huddled dIed together together strangers strangers of Juvenile stat stat- statUe lire Ue one barely tall taU enough to se see Bee above the window casement In Tn short my un un- unInvited uninvited invited guests were small Indian children who were staring through the glass at tho the tree In mesmeric entrancement enhancement For a 8 moment I was held spellbound In to surprise then cautiously so as not to frighten them I opened the porch door and motioned them to enter At first they cowered and shrank away then a straight backed backed youngster In to buckskin dragging by the hand a diminutive squaw about four years old stepped Into the room the others following warily single file How had they gained entrance to the garrison I wondered Then I re re- recalled recalled re- re recalled called a slight breach In the stockade wall Just big enough to admit the wrig wrig- wriggling gling in and out of one small body at a time Ume I turned to the supposed leader of the party and speaking slowly asked point point- pointIng Ing tag to the tree Some one tell Indian boy about it He nodded as the little hostiles around the agencies picked up a smattering of English very quickly Who tell Indian boy Horn Toad Horn Toad was a natured good-natured Indian scout adored by all aU the children In tho the garrison Oh I nodded while the little frozen band huddled about the stove In stolid silence and who is she Indicating tho the wee squaw Sister replied the boy while the little girl clung more fiercely to his hand My eyes ran over the tiny figure and my heart contracted The poor tot shivered shiv shivered ered and drew across the shoulders of her calico dress an Impromptu shawl made of gunny sack and a strip of the same material served as her only head head- gear Her and leggings were of buckskin The young oung warriors were clad in whole suits of It but evidently when it came to the female of the species species species cies the supply had given out It was a miracle that the little band hadn't been frozen rozen to death Just how where or why at this season of the year these people were abroad in instead In stead of under shelter at the agencies did not matter The fact tact remained that they and at least some of their tribe had set up their somewhere nearby I mentally shook myself What a un unconscionable unconscionable conscionable hour for these children to tobe tobe tobe be up They must be returned to their mothers at once and yet as I looked Into their timid expectant faces pity stirred within me and my logic went woefully awry Heaven only knew how long they I 5 5 v v- v 5 d Mrs Francis Franci M. M Gibson and Baby Kate Kale who grew up to be be- become become become come Mrs Katherine Gibson Fou- Fou gera author of With Custers Custer's Cavalry Ca valry had walled waited out there in to the cold feasting their eyes on this glittering paradise and that set me thinking Quickly I 1 drew them hem Into the living room and towards the Christmas Tree pie which I was confident still held a few treasures and digging Into the sand my myself self I fished out a the Jack which I presented to the little lady Her black blackeyes blackeyes blackeyes eyes leaped with surprise and Joy and her wee hands trembled as she clutched the toy Then making a motion for them to continue I flew to the kitchen to heat up what cocoa still remained The sink striker er en was Just leaving for his barracks when I called to him Oh Alkorn I Instructed go to the nearest bastion and tell the sentinel to relay to other sentinels that in the event of any Indians hanging around and look look- lookIng looking Ing for children they are at al Lieutenant Gibsons Gibson's quarters and will be along alan soon Boon During my absence my guests had certainly explored the entire contents of the tub tub- The appearance of the Jack Jack-In the Jack box had dissipated their last vestige of hesitation and they plunged feverishly Into the sand and with each rag doll dou doll toy pistol or other treasure exhumed they became In fact wild Indians wild Indians wild with delight the delight the boys voicing their emo emo- emotions emotions emotions in short grunts the wee ones in squeals of rapture It was upon this scene of oozing scat scat- scattering scattering sand that I entered bearing a pot of steaming cocoa but the children re re- refused refused fused to abandon the magic tub until the tho very last toy had been salvaged Then they drank long and thirstily of the re re- refreshing refreshing re- re freshing trashing beverage and soon color re- re returned turned to their pinched cheeks and warmth warmth Sept crept back Into into their little chilled fingers I Noting all this I communed with my set self thoughtfully I should have sent them home right away I told myself severely yet I continued to heap their laps with goodies popcorn nuts and can can- candy dy Besides there was some Ice cream left over and cake too that were beg beg- begging ging to be eaten and what was a party without them So before they knew it mounds of pink and white concoction were whisked in front of the little savages who Im Immediately im- im immediately mediately plunged small eager fingers into the pretty fluffy stuff only to recoil from the sudden chill The tiny Uny squaw was the first to experiment with it by cautiously licking some oil oft her palm and her cherubic smile would have In Inspired In- In Inspired Inspired a masterpiece from Crom Raphael They needed no further urging and at at- attacked tacked the Ice cream stuffing themselves with all the abandon of healthy hungry children While they were thus engaged I ran upstairs looking for old blankets wool wool- woolen en stockings and socks I found a short shor t coat of my own some mittens and galoshes and warm mufflers Suddenly queer sounds coming from below sent me scurrying halfway way downstairs where I paused The noise started with the th e clapping of hands accompanied by a e weird chant This was followed by the th e sound BOund of softly muted muffled feet and short sharp whoops at first faint but growing louder and louder I sank upon the stairs and peered through the Into the living room and what I beheld kept me rooted to the spot My eyes dilated before a picturesque phase of barbaric expression The straight backed boy evidently wishing to do his part and that of his hi tribe toward the entertainment was stag stag- stagIng staging Ing a performance of his own and was wa directing the others in some kind of a a dance One boy and the diminutive e squaw stood at the side clapping their hands and chanting monotonously the th e latter moving her hips and body In Imitation tion of the older squaws while circling the stove in single file the young braves brave s stamped upon the carpet with the firm firm- firmness firmness firmness ness of buffaloes combined with th the e I whirlwind lightness of the wildcat their the lithe frames swaying like the thc prairie grasses and with a rhythm as perfect parted perfectas t as a set measure Backwards and for forwards forwards wards they flung themselves as though h made of elastic clastic rubber bending pliant t heads and necks and emitting long long- out drawn whoops of Joy The crunching Into the carpet o of f ruinous sand mattered not for on th the e step I sat like petrified wood lost in won wonder wonder der at the wild beauty and the cadence of that native dance Why I pondered did white children have to spend money to anything like the grace of these thes e aborigines to whom It seemed as inborn and as natural as a spring of cool clear Ilea clearwater clearwater water The dirge changed and the little e redskins swung Into close group forma formation lion tion each h executing fast fantastic steps steps rl Followed more insistent I t hand clapping hand a and droning The young bucks quickly flung Bung back Into single file whereupon the th dance became fiercer the whoops louder loude r and longer and with a frenzy that almost shook the floor they fairly leaped about the stove until the leader held up his hl hand and stopped The droning ceased the embryo braves brav threw themselves gasping upon the carpet and the wee w wone one slid down beside the young chief I drev drew a deep breath hurried back upstairs and brought down an armful of clothing and blankets Then I 1 bundled bundle d up the wee squaw like tike a II bale of cotton tied my too big mittens on her warm war ro little hands and gave the rest of th the e i blankets mufflers and galoshes to th the boys After Alter that I stripped the tree tre o oIts of its remaining gifts gilts put candy and cake cak cakin ee e In a bag which I 1 consigned to the care car carof e of the straight backed boy and very re re- reluctantly reluctantly let my guests out again into tot o the night I glanced up at the clock in the hall Already it was Christmas The snow crunched crisply beneath light retreat retreating ing log steps while again and again the th e happy children clutching their cherished toys turned radiant faces over their the shoulders for one last look and smile Finally the small straight backed In Indian dlan dian boy bringing up the rear with his hl n Christmas burdens patted his mouth with his slim hand and emitted the fare fare- farewell farewell farewell well call of his tribe which seemed to t o linger on the air alt even after the little band had faded from view I smiled to myself mys lf blew out the kero kero- kerosene acne sene lamp In the hall and trudged wearily upstairs while drifting through the still approaching dawn and echoing from fro ro bastion to bastion came the comforting g call of the sentinels One o'clock and andall's andaU's andall's alls all's well well So that is the story of the Christmas Eve celebration at old oldFort oldFort oldFort Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Dakota frontier frontier-a a traditional ob ob- observance observance observance servance of the birth of the Prince of Peace which came to an un un- unexpected unexpected unexpected expected climax in a barbaric war dance You'll find the story in a book published recently bythe by bythe bythe the Caxton Printers Ltd of Cald- Cald Caldwell Caldwell Caldwell well Idaho With Idaho With Custers Custer's Cavalry Cavalry Cavalry alry by Katherine Gibson Fou Fou- gera the daughter who was born borna a few years later to the young Seventh Cavalry officer and his wife at Fort Meade in the Black Hills of South Dakota and it is reproduced here for your enjoyment enjoy enjoy- enjoyment enjoyment ment by special permission of the I copyright owners It is one of the most unusual and at the same time one of ot the most charming Yuletide charming Yuletide stories that has appeared in many a year It is a strictly American addition to the literature of Christmas For nowhere else in inthe Inthe inthe the world except in America could this incident have taken place I |