Sabbath Day In Alder's Gulch, Montana!

Glitterin' gold wuz struck along Alder's Gulch in eighteen sixty-three! Potential prospectors came frum as fer away as Knoxville, Tenn-o-see! Hordes uv soiled doves and gamblers migrated to the Gulch as well, Along with platoons uv ruffians and barkeeps, their potent booze to sell! Fellers labored hard all week pickin' and a-shovelin' at their claim. But Sundays wuz set aside to raise 'oly 'ell, much uv it to their shame! Baptist preachers thumped their Bibles tryin' to preach above the din. There warn't no churches so they preached in saloons aginst the wages uv sin! Hurdy-gurdy gals roamed about 'neath the steely-eyed gaze uv their 'madam'. Guns and bowie knives wuz rife and wuz brandished by the dudes that had 'em! Brawls erupted resultin' in blackened eyes and numerous bloodied noses, Leavin' heaps uv rowdies sprawled on sawdust floors in grotesque poses! Pie-aner players added to the din beltin' out their bawdy songs! Preachers gave up and said to 'ell with it and joined the festive throngs! Poker games wuz proceedin' in ever' saloon, usually endin' in a ruckus, Since there seemed to be an excess uv aces held by some cheatin' cuss! Fallin' down drunks wuz nuisances that bouncers simply booted out the door, But they somehow meandered to another pub to imbibe a little more! On Sundays they had their spree - on Mondays though sick and broke, They panned fer 'dust fer another Sabbath frolic - the aim uv ever' bloke! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired © All Rights Reserved