The Long Hunter's Journal

The newsletter of the Utah ALRA

December 2005

Lieutenant's Message

As we come to the close of another year I want to thank all of you for making it a great year for the Utah ALRA. We faced some challenges with changes in the Fort, but you were able to step up and show Weber County what a great group of people we are. We had some great times together and learned some great new skills. Thank you to all who stepped forward and helped with demos, seminars, or events. At this festive season of the year I extend our warmest heartfelt wishes for a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. May we find ways to improve the ALRA and ourselves to make this next year the best year yet.

January Meeting

The January meeting will be held at Fort Buenaventura on Saturday, January 7 2006 at 10a.m. Please come ready with ideas for what you would like to do next year and ready to pay your 2006 dues.

Elections in January

As of this newsletter no one has mentioned intent on running for election or reelection for the position of Scribe or Sergeant at Arms.

Dues

Captain Mick Askew writes "It's that time of year to start thinking about your dues. Dues may be paid directly to the Factor or if your State Lieutenant desires you may pay through him, but either way national dues are due the Factor no later than midnight 31 January 2006 and to be a member in good standing dues must be current. Oh, by the way, National Dues are $15.00 check or money order made payable to the American Longrifle Association or however your state lieutenant desires.

Oh, do not think, "I'll just wait and send my dues in with my ballot rather than send them in before the end of January" because if you do your vote ain't going to count. If you have any questions on this head you may check the By-laws, or contact either of the officers or read amendment 6 to the by-laws."

The Lieutenant will collect both National and State dues. As stated National dues are $15 and state dues are $10 (or more if you would like to donate to the cause). If you are going to pay the Lt. please make checks payable to Grant Davis. The state organization is not incorporated and checks made out to the ALRA collected locally cannot be cashed.

Christmas Party

A small group of Patriots and Wives attended the annual Christmas Feast held at the Russell residence (Parents of Kimberly Davis). The members were Kimmie and John McCann, Paula and Gregg Hansen, Emeline and Mike Mendenhal, Kimberly and Grant Davis.

The feast included smoke turkey and elk roast prepared by our Lieutenant, clam chowder soup, squash soup, apple sauce, wassail, pumpkin pie and raisin & walnut filled cookies.

Following the meal, a gift exchange took place. This year, the Lieutenant decided that we have been too reluctant in the past several years to trade gifts. That is, take away a gift already open by another person. Four cards were dealt to each person bringing a gift. A second deck of cards were turned over and when a card was shown that matched a card in the hand of a gift giver, that person either selected an unopened gift or a gift from a person who had previously open a gift. This continued until each person used all his or her cards. The person holding the last card, of course, was able to select the gift he or she most desired.  So it began...

"He" carefully looks over his cards while "she" sits calmly holding the "Ace in the Hole."	Opening the first gift, a fine handcrafted trivet, "he" rejoices in his selection while secretly planning his next move.	Participants in the gift exchange watch his excitement and they wait their turn.
Ah! a workman's hat, now what will I do with that?	Oh honey! What could be in a brown paper wrapper? …She said.	Wow! a fine hand-stitch pouch. (Wonder how long I'll keep this) Not long, Capt. Matt soon acquired it, several times.
…and lost it shortly after. "He" again.	You ……,	This is really nice! But it didn't last long. Back and forth over the next several draws.
I want it back!	No, no, don't take it from me. Ha! Ha! It's mine again!	See honey, I knew we win because I held the last card and you can have both gifts!

That gift was a fine shot bag made by Grant Davis. As it happened, one family, who held the last two cards and will not be mentioned by name, won out (casts big balls). The gifts included the shot bag, candles, workman's hat, trivet, and two sets of pot chains.

Recovering from Surgery

Best Wishes to Kirk Davis who is recovering from Back Surgery. Kirk is the Director of the Library Services at the George E. Wahlan Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake.

Accounting of Funds

Following is an accounting of funds for the calendar year 2005 as reported by Scribe Steve Gish. Please note that the Lieutenant or the individual Patriot sent in National dues also. Balance of 04 funds Recv'd from Rex Ward $110.26 Dues received $240.00 Dues to National $30.00 Stamps, Printing $62.63 Supplies, Shooting, Activities $144.64 Contribution $20.00 Balance on hand $132.99

Historical Notes

This from the Virginia Gazette #823 on December 26, 1767. And who said, on-line dating started with the Internet! To the Printer I am just now nineteen, and, without vanity, believe as well qualified for a husband as any of my neighbors. I will not say that I am handsome, though I am persuaded I am not the only one who thinks so. I have been dazzled after for these three years by half the young fellows in town, and yet no one has had the spirit to put the question to me, though I have often reminded them of these two lines: Our hearts are form'd as you yourself choose, too proud to ask, too humble to refuse.

The men have grown so stupid nowadays that I believe they expect the women should court them, but I am too modest to do it in person, I think the channel of your paper may be useful to me, if you will please give this a place in it; and I am therefore ready to receive proposals (honorable proposals) from any Gentlemen of good family, and if some fortune so much the better, but this latter condition I do not insist upon, for reasons hereafter mentioned. He must, however, be at least 5 feet 8 inches high, neither very dark or very fair, have expressive eyes, good nature, and common sense.

As to my qualifications, I have at least the two last required in him, and am, I mean shall be professed of a fortune of 5000l. in less than a month and a half having half a lottery ticket, which I deemed (and of a Sunday morning too) was drawn a price of 10,000l.

I think this hint is sufficient to any man of spirit, and therefore conclude his and your very humble servant. DIANA LUNGUISH. P.S. Pray, Mr. Printer, take in the letters that come to me.

POEM

This poem immediately followed the above advertisement. I sure the printer saw it fitting the occasion!

Historical Notes on Christmas Submitted by Rex Ward

The following are Cpt. John Knox's entries for Christmas Day:

December 25, 1757: "Though we have no church here, we have nevertheless divine service and a sermon every Sunday, in a spacious apartment in the fort; this High Festival was observed here, as is customary in the church of England; and our Chaplain (who is most laudably diligent in discharging the duties of his function) gave us an excellent discourse suitable to the day."

December 25, 1758: "This solemn festival was duly observed."

December 25, 1759: "Christmas-day is at length come round, and M. de Levis has not fulfilled his promise of dining with us, as he affected he had resolved to do: this grand festival was duly observed by the Chaplains of the garrison to a numerous congregation, as in England. I cannot omit taking notice of an incident that happened here yesterday: passing in the evening through one of the streets, before it was dark, I met a crowd of French people, of both sexes, with staves and lanthorns, and seemingly in great haste; upon inquiry I found it was one of the Popish ceremonies. These deluded creatures were going in quest of Barrabas the robber, who was released at the crucifixion of the Saviour of the world; and, having, after a long search, discovered a man who was to impersonate him, being concealed for that purpose, they bound him like a thief, and whipped him before them, with shouts and menaces, until they arrived at one of their churches, where it was pretended he was to suffer as Christ did, in commemoration of His passion."

Under the date of January 5, 1749, Peter Kalm recorded: "Christmas Day was celebrated today by the Swedes and English, for they still use the old calendar. The members of the English church hardly made any bigger preparations for Christmas than for any Sunday, and when it came on a week-day it was not celebrated any more than a Swedish Apostle's Day. The Quakers paid still less attention to it, for since they observe no other holiday except Sunday they work on Christmas Day just as on any other day, unless it comes on Sunday. Formerly the Swedes here had candles in the church on Christmas Day and celebrated it as we do in Old Sweden, but now No candles are used and its observance has been much curtailed."

January 5, 1750: "To-day Christmas Day was celebrated in the city, but not with such reverence as it is in Old Sweden. On the evening before, the bells of the English Church rang for a long time to announce the approaching Yuletide. In the morning guns were fired off in various parts of the town. The Quakers did not regard this day any more remarkable than any other days. Stores were open, and anyone might sell or purchase what he wanted. But servants had a three-day vacation period. Nowhere was Christmas Day celebrated with more solemnity than in the Roman Church. ...[O]f all the churches in Philadelphia only the Swedish and the Catholic possessed organs. ... The officiating priest was a Jesuit, who also played the violin, and he had collected a few others who played the same instrument. So there was good instrumental music, with singing from the [back] organ-gallery besides.... One did not seem to know what it meant to wish anyone a merry Christmas. However, [after I had written this] I heard several members of the English Church wish one another a happy Christmas holiday. ... At first the Presbyterians did not care much for celebrating Christmas, but when they saw most of their members going to the English church on that day, they also started to have services."

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