Dusting Off the Old Ones (157)

To-day's story will tell you about the first Christmas that Shade Tree Bill spent in Miles City--and by the way--Christmas 1958 was the seventy-fourth Christmas that he has, spent in the old Cowtown, while he is only seventy-three years old.

Miles City at that time was claiming a population of three thousand. The weather was warm for the season of the year--carpenters and mechanics were pursuing outdoor avocations in their shirt sleeves, while the stores, one and all, were doing a good business with doors wide open. The merchants report that the holiday trade exceeded all expectations. There were the usual programs for the youngsters at the various churches--the Methodist church held their entertainment on Christmas Eve--the Reverend E. S. Snider, pastor, reports a richly laden tree for the youngsters to gaze upon, while a literary and musical program was in progress. At the Presbyterian Church, the Reverend E. P. Linell, pastor, in the absence of a tree, a church sociable was held, at which the children and their relations were present--while at the Baptist church, the Reverend G. D. Downey, pastor, a crowd that filled every part of the church enjoyed the tree and the real Santa Claus. Services were held in the Episcopal church--Reverend William Horsfall, rector, on Christmas day, with a choral celebration at eleven o'clock in the morning and the Sunday School festival at seven in the evening. The Reverend E. W. J. Lindersmith, Chaplain at Fort Keogh, was the priest in charge of the Catholic church at the time. The holiday was also observed at Fort Keogh with a Christmas festival in the chapel, at which were assembled all the officers of the post with their wives and children. The opera house company, one and all, celebrated the holiday after the old approved fashion. The receipts at the Charity Ball amounted to $75. The uncalled for letters at the postoffice listed one addressed to William Clark but it was not Clarke with an E, so it did not bother Shade Tree. A magnificent music box was raffled off by Savage's Drug Store, with Fred Whiteside having the lucky number--which was very appropriate as he had just been married to Helen M. Dunning on Christmas Eve. Buffalo and Russian Dog coats were advertised for sale by Orschel's. The Christmas dinner at the Macqueen House was served to more than two hundred guests, while a fine dinner was also served at Annie Turner's California restaurant. Two Chinamen got into court the next day over the theft of some chickens, and it was said that the cowboys around town were hunting blue coats, and that Uncle Sam's nephews did not stay around town after the sun went down.There was a shooting affray reported from Powderville at which the proprietor of the saloon was fatally injured. Well, folks, that is about all that is recorded in the diary.