Show on tle prairie frontier the story of the most unusual celebration in american history i A jofen A 4 i tv V tw A gsg ai cufr t y r fi hylt Ty Lt clr aws ay na U f vla f J f r rf i i ft TA y tl rort y afa wrel fay old fort abraham lincoln in the wintertime from a contemporary photograph by D F barry by ELMO SCOTT WATSON released by western newspaper union WAS the day before christmas 1875 at old fort abraham IT lincoln on the dakota frontier in the quarters of francis 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 mas tree party which they were planning to give that evening soldiers sent out to scour the neighborhood for anything 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 few feet of the floor beneath they placed a washtub decorated with gaily painted paper and filled with sand in the latter they buried what few gifts they had been able to purchase from the scanty stocks of merchants in the crude little frontier a away well call it a christmas piel cried katherine gibson with a brave laugh but the room still lacked a festive holiday appearance so they bet to work on sheets of plain paper which she had saved colored the paper with paints then cut it into long strips to serve as festoons fes to their aid came several young officers of the seventh recently arrived at fort lincoln 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 wives contributed old christmas cards 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 cutout cut out pictures of santa claus on its edges As for refreshments for the party what if the post traders 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 ice cream 1 it was ice cream made from condensed milk whipped up gelatine and the whites of eggs the mailman 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 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 aftermath surely one of the strangest christmas eve celebrations ever held in america here Is the story told in her own words eve dawned bright and clear and the temperature had moderated someone brought n old banjo another had unearthed an antique guitar another a jews harp with such dance music provided we swung into the virginia reel with much merriment and then the old square dances had their turn what a beautiful time we hadl finally before midnight lieutenant gibbon being of the day had to make his rounds of he outposts and shortly afterward he party broke up everyone tired but happy when the last guest had departed 1 thought I 1 would take a peep into he kitchen now dark and deserted so with lighted candle held high I 1 opened the door As the flame stabbed through the darkness I 1 suddenly gasped and gazed before me with startled eyes tor on the ilde porch appeared some strangers huddled together strangers 0 juvenile stature one barely tall enough to see above the window casement in short my uninvited guests were small indian children who were blaring through the glass at the tree la mesmeric entrancement for a moment I 1 was held spellbound in surprise then cautiously EO as not to frighten them I 1 opened the porch door and motioned them to enter at arst they cowered and shrank away then a straight backed youngster in buckskin dragging by the hand a diminutive squaw about tour years old stepped into the room the others following warily single file how had they gained entrance to the garrison t wondered then I 1 re called a blight breach in the stockade wall just big enough to admit the wriggling in and out of one small body at a I 1 turned to the supposed leader of the party and speaking slowly asked pointing to the tree some one tell indian boy abbat it he nodded as the little hustues around the agencies picked up a smattering of english very quickly who tell indian boy horn toad horn toad was a good natured indian scout adored by all the children in the garrison oh I 1 nodded while the little frozen band huddled about the stove in stolid silence and who Is she indicating 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 and drew across the shoulders of her calico dress an impromptu shawl made of gunny sack and a strip of the same material as her only headgear her sins and leggings were of buckskin the young warriors were clad in whole suits of it but evidently when it came to the female of the species the supply had given out it was a miracle that the little band hcan t been frozen to death just how where or why at this season of the year these people were abroad instead of under shelter at the agencies did not matter the tact remained that they and at least some of their tribe had set up their somewhere nearby I 1 mentally shook myself what a unconscionable hour for these children to be up they must be returned to their mothers at once and yet as I 1 looked into their timid expectant faces pity stirred within me and my logic went woefully awry heaven only knew how long they mrs francis M gibson and baby kate who grew up to become mrs katherine gibson fou eera author of with custers cavalry had batted out there in the cold their eyes on this glittering paradise and that et me thinking quickly I 1 drew them into the living room and towards the christmas tree pie which I 1 was confident bill held a few treasures and digging into the sand myself I 1 fished out a jack anthe box which I 1 presented to the little lady her black eyes leaped with surprise and joy and her wee hands trembled as she clutched the toy making a motion tor them to continue I 1 flew to the anchen to heat up what cocoa still remained the striker was just leaving tor his barracks when I 1 called to him oh alkorn I 1 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 looking or children they are at lieutenant quarters and will be along soon during my absence my guests had certainty explored the entire coblents cov lents of the tub the appearance 0 the jacyln the box had dissipated their last vestige of hesitation and they plunged feverishly into the sand and with each rag dolf toy pistol or other treasure ehu ined they became in act wild Indians wild with delight the boyt voicing their emotions in short grunts the wee ones in squeals ot rapture it was upon this scene of oozing scattering sand that 1 entered bearing a pot of steaming cocoa but the children refused to abandon the magic tub until the very last toy had been salvaged then they drank long and thirstily the refreshing beverage and soon color returned to their pinched checks and warmth crept back into their finger noting all this I 1 communed with my belt thoughtfully I 1 should have sent them home right away I 1 told severely yet I 1 continued to heap their laps with goodies popcorn nuts and candy besides there was some ice cream led over and cake too that were begging 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 immediately plunged small eager fengers into the pretty fluffy stuff only to recoil from the sudden chill the tiny squaw was the farst to experiment with it by cautiously licking some off her palm and her cherubic smile would have inspired a masterpiece from raphael they needed no further urging and attacked the ice cream stuffing themselves with all the abandon ol 01 healthy hungry children while they were thus engaged I 1 ran upstairs looking tw old blankets woolen stockings and socks I 1 found a short coat of my own some mittens and galoshes galos hes and warm mufflers suddenly queer sounds coming from below sent me scurrying hallway hall way downstairs where I 1 paused the noise started with the clapping of hands accompanied by a weird chant this was followed by the sound of sallly muffled beet and short sharp whoops at arst faint but growing louder and louder I 1 sank upon the stairs and peered through the bannis into the living room and what I 1 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 tribe toward the entertainment wa staging a performance of his own and was directing the others in some kind of a dance one boy and the diminutive squaw stood at the side clapping their hands and chanting monotonously the latter moving her hips and body in imitation the older squads squaws while circling the stove in single file the young brave stamped upon the carpel with the firmness of buffaloes combined with the whirlwind lightness of the wildcat their lithe frames swaying like the prairie grassed anil with a rhythm as perfect as a set measure backwards and tor wards they rung themselves as though made of elastic rubber bending pliant heads and necks and emitting long drawn out whoops of joy the crunching into the carpet ol 01 ruinous sand mattered not tor on the step I 1 sat like petrified wood lost in wonder at the wild beauty and the cadence ot that native dance why I 1 pondered did white children have to spend money to anything like the grace of these aborigines to whom it seemed as inborn and as natural as a spring of cool clear water the dirge changed and the little redskins red skins swung into close group formation each executing fast fantastic steps followed more insistent hand clapping and droning the young bucks quickly flung bach into single file whereupon the dance became fiercer the whoops louder and longer and with a frenzy that almost shook the floor they fairly leaped about the stove until the leader held up ahli hand and stopped the droning ceased the embryo braves threw themselves gasping upon the carpet and the wee one slid down beside the young chief I 1 drew a deep breath hurried back upstairs and brought down an armful of clothing and blankets then t bundled up the wee squaw like a bale of cotton tied my too big mittens on her warm little hands and gave the rest of ahe blankets mufflers and galoshes galos hes to the boys after that 1 stripped the tree of its remaining gifts put candy and cake in a bag which I 1 consigned to the car of the straight backed boy and very reluctantly luct antly let my guests out again into the night I 1 glanced up at he clock in the hall already it was christmas the snow crunched crisply beneath light retreating steps while again and again the happy children clutching their cherished toys turned radiant faces over their shoulders tor one last look and smile finally the small straight bachee in dlan boy bringing up the rear with hit christmas burdens patted his mouth with his slim hand and emitted the farewell call of his tribe which seemed to linger on the air even after the little band had faded from view tene lamp in the hall and trudged wearily upstairs while drifting through the still approaching dawn and echoing from bastion to bastion came the comforting call of the one 0 clock and au aeu so that is the story of the christmas eve celebration et bid fort abraham lincoln on the dakota frontier a traditional observance of the birth of the prince of peace which came to an unexpected climax in a barbaric war dancel fand the story in a book published recently by the caxton printers ltd of cald well idaho with cullers Cus lers cavalry by cathenne Kat henne gibson fou gera the daughter who was born 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 by special permission of the copyright owners it is one of the most unusual arid at the same time one of the most 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 the world except in america could this incident have taken place |