The Town of Winner

 
When we lived in western South Dakota, Winner was the nearest large town and a trip to town was a happening. It was either the horse and wagon or the Model T Ford. Thirty miles to town was a long trip in those days. We would buy supplies for a week or a month. We would usually go in on Saturday; Saturday night was a big thing in this small town. There was always a big livestock sale on Friday and ranchers and buyers would come in from many miles around and from Sioux City and Sioux Fall and maybe Omaha. Many would stay over until Saturday. Also, some Indians would come in from the Sioux reservation. They would pitch their tents on the edge of town, turn their horses loose and do their shopping and drinking until Monday morning. Then they would hunt down their horses and return to the reservation. The town's people were never too happy with this arrangement. The general store in town was owned and operated by one Chief Lookbehind, a Sioux Indian. That store was still there when we took mother and dad back in 1947. The store was a large supermart then. We were there on Friday --- livestock sale day. Pa wanted a beer. We waited in line outside one of the taverns for more than 30 minutes to get one beer. It was still a lively town on Friday evening.
One time Mother and Aunt Nellie were returning from town with a team of horses and an open wagon; the wagon had a flat seat; no back. Somewhere on the way home, the horses knew where they were going, so they bolted into a full gallop. Mother and Aunt Nellie slid backwards into the wagon on their backs with feet up on the seat. That is the way they came into the barn yard that day when the horses finally stopped. Needless to say, Mother and Aunt Nellie were provoked-nettled-vexed-exasperated and embarrassed.
Pa's credo was "tame horses were expensive --- wild horses were cheap".



We wish you all a Merry Christmas
And a surprising New Year !!!
Norman & Marilyn 1992

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