The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 10

Society rallies round 11-A Tuesdoy. October 14, 1975 Freedom Train fires up parties uljr BtUtmjH (Sazrltf ii i TV it. By KATHLEEN MERRYMAN Of The Gazette Staff The Governor came down 'or a formal reception and a ball. People's Bicentennial supporters met in Courthouse park for a potluck mixture of picnic and rhetoric. And the Freedom Train staff lived it up with local backers the Northern Hotel.

It was all part of the social life woven into what Yellowstone Bicentennial Commission billed "Your Festival." And that's what Billings made it. FRIDAY NIGHT a group of Billings merchants stood for drinks to give train staffers a taste of Billings along with their bourbon. Hostesses like Laurie McCormack, who's used keeping politicians, press and businessmen coffeed and sandwiched on special visits to the train, sat back and let Jay Montague and other merchants reverse roles. The senior vice president of operations slapped a porter's back, and the porter slapped back. They both admitted to suffering from a case of train fever.

Sipping a drink without worrying whether it would slosh over the side was a relief to the staffers, who spend 24 display days and 6 traveling days with the train each month. "WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE? They're really having a good time," a middle aged lady formal dress queried as she peeked through the door and picked up on a few bars of the Freedom Train's logo song. "They're here for the festival," answered Lee Fears of Yellowstone Bicentennial Commission, "and they all have litle trains in their hearts." Some people's hearts had room for the freedom, but no train. People's Bicentennial supporters turned out for the parade on Saturday morning, and followed it up that afternoon with a picnic on the Courthouse lawn. Dan Smith, regional coordinator from Bozeman, invited the whole city to come for impromtu music, a potluck picnic, and a few short speeches on the foundations of freedom.

IT WAS AN EASY afternoon. Not many people turned out, but their enthusiasm for an afternoon of political discussion kept it lively. Four blocks away, the company was more exclusive. Gov. Thomas Judge was greeting Bicentennial and train officials, politicians and actors at the Governor's Reception at Western Heritage Center.

Paul McCann and Hal Stearns from the State Bicentennial Commision were down from Helena. Staff from Yellowstone Art Center visited with Heritage Center people. Diana Pacini, Miss Montana, laughed with other state beauty queens about being recycled through the parade after additional Navy staff hopped onto their float. MICHAEL DANTE, who played Winter-hawk in the movie filmed in Kalispell, came back to Montana and scrutinized the center's chronicles of the taming of the West. At a Wednesday night reception at Billings Studio Theatre, he'd told the cast of "The Music Man" that he was considering coming back to the area to do a sequel to "Winterhawk." Though Dante showed up without his Indian wig, Buck Taylor never left the shelter of his cowboy hat.

Taylor played Newly on Gunsmoke, and lived up to his role at the reception, keeping company with Highway Patrol officials and the governor. THE RECEPTION DIED hard, with guests having too good a time to leave. Most of them Outstayed the governor, who had to step over to the Elks Club to help the Navy celebrate its 200th birthday. Deanne Leckie, co-chairman of Yellowstone Bicentennial Commission, says thare's one more party in the offing. It's for the local people who worked on the train's visit, and, she says, it's going to be the biggest winding down in Billings history.

"We're just going to sit around and tell stories about this weekend. Like the kid who took his raccoon through the train, and another who dressed his monkey up like a baby sc he could see it. And about the Anaconda Boy's Choir spending the night at the fire station because there wasn't a room to be had in the city." i i Governor and Mrs. Thomas Judge greeted guests wJl. t.Lit?' (azette photos by Jim Kneg, 'torn pssj jy Hm--5Tl i mM JT i 'v-7 (Jin '(Air i'jt i Is at 4 By the end of the Governor's reception, Western Heritage Center curator Eric Taylor was getting a little punchy.

The People's Bicentennial 6 i Dan Smith, right, Bozeman, regional went back' to the Revolutionary era 7 i i I iVi XT as A two kw- 1 fii i mn.Miir- mat at to in I X4 ft I AX The Marines just aren't what they used to be, which is just fine with Gunnery Sgt. B.J. Thiessen, who's trying to keep a cool head under his wig while talking with Diana Pacini, Miss Montana, and Shonnie Alexander, Miss Montana Teenager. music, and discussion of American values. took their festival to the park for a picnic, 1 1..

ji f7 sL x. jr. at xif 'A iMr W-nJ1 coordinator for People's Bicentennial, for his prinicples and dress Saturday, Jose Schoentrup, alias Jose USA, left, is hav ing one for the railroad at a Freedom Train staff party hosted by Jay Montague, right, and Billings merchants. John Lodge, director of field operations, second from left, Bernie Biasucci, assistant train controller. center, and Chuck Aly, senior vice president of operations, listened to his toast.

s. 1 and joined others to discuss the nation's past and future. '7t's hard lo be "total' if you're not all there On the second waffle I pour in too much batter and it spills over the sides and creeps like The Blob across the floor. My husband mentions wistfully that wa-fles are his mother's specialty. I REPLY THAT THE LEAST he could do is pick up his own dirty socks and throw them in the laundry hamper.

I am about to cry when I remember Mar-abel's sternest warning: "Men hate tears. They need comfort and warmth." I don't want to disappoint Marabel. so I turn to my husband and purr: "Sorry, darling I love your dirty socks They're so You." AND MY HUSBAND, captivated by my charm and beauty, grab me in passionate embrace and whispers in my ear Inmorrow I'm going to buy you that cof-lif tabic- oh. Marabel. between you and (lentol.

I a now woman buy me that new coffee table I've been begging for. Oh boy. Marabel. you're sure talking to the right person. Marabel says this remarkable transformation is possible by 6 o'clock tonight if, at 4 o'clock.

I remember how much I love my husband. I'm lucky if I can remember to peel the potatoes by then, but so far so good. BUT BEWARE, warns Marabel. The plan won't work unless I remember also to "respect, honor, esteem, adore, praise, enjoy and admire him. too." Next thing.

Marabel. you'll want me to shine his shoes. "And mb his back Sure enough, it's on I he next page. That Marabel knows all the tricks. Marabel also wants me to make myself super-sexy by taking a bubble bath just before my husband gets home.

And then she wants rr.e to greet him at Iho door in something sensational like my suit with a ribbon around mv neck UNFORTUNATELY MARABEL has neglected to tell me how I explain this get-up to mv teenage daughter who thinks it's obscene if I go out to the movies with my collarbone showing. Also, it is somewhat difficult to hop around like a Playboy bunny when my three boys are beating each other to death over who rolled the marbles under the couch and my neighbor has just called to say she's on her way over to borrow two eggs. Sorry. Marabel, I'll have to settle for running a comb through my hair. But the romantic dinner is still on I feed the kids and send them off to their rooms to study.

The table is set. the candles lit. the wine chilled BIT DARN IT. Marabel How do you get a hiisb.md's heart to palpate over creamed chicken on waffles'1 The first waffle sticks, as always, and my hiisb.md t.ikes his knife and scrapes off the burnod bits and pieces, cursing while the crumbs fly into our wine glasses By JOAN ROESGEN Special to The Gazette I finally got around to reading a best seller called "The Total Woman" by Marabel Morgan. I'm always leery of anything "total" if it involves my personality, because half the time I'm only half with it.

Family style And I never like to be reminded what a better place this world would be if I didn't go to pieces when my husband leaves the cap off the toothpaste. But I was delighted to find that Marabel only purpose in writing is to change me from a nagging shrew into a creature so luscious my husband will rush home from work night without stopping off at the hardware store. WHAT'S MORE HE'LL no longer make crarks about my double chin and he'll finally.