Books
Dusting Off the Old Ones was published in 1961 by W. B. Clarke, Miles City, Montana.
Early Day Country Dance
Last week, we told how Josephine Decker, who was Josephine Miner when she lived here in Miles City in the early eighties, later described the social life in Miles at that time. To-day's story will be her description of going to a country dance:
"On the Rosebud, the Allertons ran a big cattle ranch and one evening the Allerton girls gave a dance, inviting the Miles City crowd. We went by train to Rosebud where the Allertons met us with wagons. We intended to return on the early morning train. We danced through the night and then learned that our train, held up by blizzards, would be hours late. And so we danced some more, until the gray light streaked the night sky and our chaperones suggested that we get some rest. So mattresses and blankets were spread allover the front rooms while the boys bunked in the kitchen. But sleeping seemed a sheer waste of time to us while we might be dancing. Someone began twanging the banjo and promptly the blankets were piled into a corner and we were at it again, pausing now and then to drink some hot coffee and eat a few slices of buffalo steak.
Word came that the train was delayed indefinitely and so all that day and the next night the young folks danced. Early the third morning news came that the belated train might be in some time that forenoon and the young folks bundled into wagons and drove to the station. One of the boys shouted 'Who'll dance?'. Mrs. Decker, who was the pretty vivacious Josephine Miner then, said 'I will'. And soon the rough station floor was alive with dancing feet. That was the time of zestful youth in the early days of the west."
"On the Rosebud, the Allertons ran a big cattle ranch and one evening the Allerton girls gave a dance, inviting the Miles City crowd. We went by train to Rosebud where the Allertons met us with wagons. We intended to return on the early morning train. We danced through the night and then learned that our train, held up by blizzards, would be hours late. And so we danced some more, until the gray light streaked the night sky and our chaperones suggested that we get some rest. So mattresses and blankets were spread allover the front rooms while the boys bunked in the kitchen. But sleeping seemed a sheer waste of time to us while we might be dancing. Someone began twanging the banjo and promptly the blankets were piled into a corner and we were at it again, pausing now and then to drink some hot coffee and eat a few slices of buffalo steak.
Word came that the train was delayed indefinitely and so all that day and the next night the young folks danced. Early the third morning news came that the belated train might be in some time that forenoon and the young folks bundled into wagons and drove to the station. One of the boys shouted 'Who'll dance?'. Mrs. Decker, who was the pretty vivacious Josephine Miner then, said 'I will'. And soon the rough station floor was alive with dancing feet. That was the time of zestful youth in the early days of the west."