We Are All Very Fond Of Dancing, So I Think That Faye And
I Will Give A Cotillon Later On.
In fact, it is about all we can do
while living in those four rooms.
We have Episcopal service each alternate Sunday, when the Rev. Mr.
Clark comes from Helena, a distance of eighty-five miles, to hold one
service for the garrison here and one at the very small village of Sun
River. And once more Major Pierce and I are in the same choir. Doctor
Gordon plays the organ, and beautifully, too. For some time he was
organist in a church at Washington, and of course knows the service
perfectly. Our star, however, is a sergeant! He came to this country
with an opera troupe, but an attack of diphtheria ruined his voice for
the stage, so he enlisted! His voice (barytone) is still of exquisite
quality, and just the right volume for our hall.
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
January, 1879.
THERE has been so much going on in the garrison, and so much for me to
attend to in getting the house settled, I have not had time to write
more than the note I sent about dear little Billie. I miss him
dreadfully, for, small as he was, he was always doing something
cunning, always getting into mischief. He died the day we moved to
this house, and it hurts even now when I think of how I was kept from
caring for him the last day of his short life. And he wanted to be
with me, too, for when I put him in his box he would cling to my
fingers and try to get back to me. It is such a pity that we ever
cracked his nuts. His lower teeth had grown to perfect little tusks
that had bored a hole in the roof of his mouth. As soon as that was
discovered, we had them cut off, but it was too late - the little
grayback would not eat.
We are almost settled now, and Sam, our Chinese cook, is doing
splendidly. At first there was trouble, and I had some difficulty in
convincing him that I was mistress of my own house and not at all
afraid of him. Cagey has gone back to Holly Springs. He had become
utterly worthless during the summer camp, where he had almost nothing
to do.
Our little entertainment for the benefit of the mission here was a
wonderful success. Every seat was occupied, every corner packed, and
we were afraid that the old theater might collapse. We made eighty
dollars, clear of all expenses. The tableaux were first, so the small
people could be sent home early. Then came our pantomime. Sergeant
Thompson sang the words and the orchestra played a soft accompaniment
that made the whole thing most effective. Major Pierce was a splendid
Villikins, and as Dinah I received enough applause to satisfy anyone,
but the curtain remained down, motionless and unresponsive, just
because I happened to be the wife of the stage manager!
The prison scene and Miserere from Il Trovatore were beautiful.
Sergeant Mann instructed each one of the singers, and the result was
far beyond our expectations. Of course the fine orchestra of twenty
pieces was a great addition and support. Our duet was not sung,
because I was seized with an attack of stage fright at the last
rehearsal, so Sergeant Mann sang an exquisite solo in place of the
duet, which was ever so much nicer. I was with Mrs. Joyce in one scene
of her pantomime, "John Smith," which was far and away the best part
of the entertainment. Mrs. Joyce was charming, and showed us what a
really fine actress she is. The enlisted men went to laugh, and they
kept up a good-natured clapping and laughing from first to last.
It was surprising that so many of the Sun River and ranch people came,
for the night was terrible, even for Montana, and the roads must have
been impassable in places. Even here in the post there were great
drifts of snow, and the path to the theater was cut through banks
higher than our heads. It had been mild and pleasant for weeks, and
only two nights before the entertainment we had gone to the hall for
rehearsal with fewer wraps than usual. We had been there about an
hour, I think, when the corporal of the guard came in to report to the
officer of the day, that a fierce blizzard was making it impossible
for sentries to walk post. His own appearance told better than words
what the storm was. He had on a long buffalo coat, muskrat cap and
gauntlets, and the fur from his head down, also heavy overshoes, were
filled with snow, and at each end of his mustache were icicles
hanging. He made a fine, soldierly picture as he brought his rifle to
his side and saluted. The officer of the day hurried out, and after a
time returned, he also smothered in furs and snow. He said the storm
was terrific and he did not see how many of us could possibly get to
our homes.
But of course we could not remain in the hall until the blizzard had
ceased, so after rehearsing a little more, we wrapped ourselves up as
well as we could and started for our homes. The wind was blowing at
hurricane speed, I am sure, and the heavy fall of snow was being
carried almost horizontally, and how each frozen flake did sting!
Those of us who lived in the garrison could not go very far astray, as
the fences were on one side and banks of snow on the other, but the
light snow had already drifted in between and made walking very slow
and difficult. We all got to our different homes finally, with no
greater mishap than a few slightly frozen ears and noses. Snow had
banked up on the floor inside of our front door so high that for a few
minutes Faye and I thought that we could not get in the house.
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