Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-05

her when my introductioa TOOK place
but they soon managed to glide soft
ly away; and in few moments, rath
er to my confusion, | found mysel
standing in the middle OF a larg'
room filled with fine ladies, face L
face with one whose every glanc'
went plunge through me, and no on'
else near, and most every body els'
seated. l gave one startled lool
around, and then my eyes fell. Ev
cry eye, | made sure, was now fixed
on my feet, with their pumps anC
silk stockings shockingly exposed tC
a sweeping view on all sides. | con
trived 10 stuff away my starched ruff
fles so as almost to hide them; and
then TO keep my hands from dang
ling and fidgeting about, gathered
hold of my safety chain, and twirled
the watch key on it around and
around at a furious rate. How
longed for the moment to be at my
own Blackstoneviile, leading down
the merry country dances with rom-
ping Ecsy Sims or Patsy Callihan,
the admired on all hands, the very
lion OF the night
] was partially relieved. in short
time by hearing all at once the in
spring sound OF violins in an adjoin-
ing room, and this easily explained
the cause Of the sudden Evacuation
by the younger couples Of the one in
which had been left. Miss Russell
bounced up from the stool she was
sitting on in a trice, and then, throw
ing her arm through mine with a
touch Of her soft hand that almost
made me swoon with ecStacy, pro-
posed that we should go and join the
dancers. had many a time play
fully handled our girls at Blackstone
vile, and they had given me many
a sly, substantial squeeze; but ] never
before like | did whilst that
warm, snow white arm, shining with
little jeweled belts. rested in mine.
the touch was so very
slight as scarcely 10 be felt at all;
and then, again, she could manage,
the prettiest in the world, to press
down the whole weight on mine in
such a way that really feared my
nerves would jar me TO death. And
once, when a parcel Of gentlemen
were rudely crowding past, as she
grazed my shoulder witta touch of
her own, all naked smartly below
the joint, fit Of perfect blindness
came over my eyes, and ] involun-
tarily grasPed her hand to keep from
sinking. This had nearly finished
me right away, for my fingers, no
matter how, once clutched around
that soft and glowing piece Of flesh,
| could no more unclasp them OF
myself than could one, unaided, re-
lease his hold from the handles OF
heavily charged galvanic machine
Good Lord-thought /, sighing-
there never was, and never can be,
in Blackstoneville to hold
even light to such as this! To tell
the truth, | was beginning to bless
myself at being in high life; and TO
thank Mrs. Blanche Lyttleton for
her ticket from the very bottom of
my heart. / forgot all about the
pumps, the silk stockings, and the
stiff ruffles in my bosom.
When came TO nv proper senses
again, | found that the sweet crea-
lure had gently and unconsciously
10 me disengaged her hand, and that
we were standing face 10 face with
another couple across the way, with
two others paired off on each side,
forming what | heard them call a
l was perfectly riddled
with these arrangements, for we had
never danced any outlandish dances
It Blackstoneville.
But when heard the fiddlers strike
ID, with a measure and time wholly un-
Known TO me in dancing, and one Of
hem exclaim, at the top of his voice,
something about balancing A, and swing
ng corners, and forwarding two, and
hen crossing over to leave your partner,
md then again forwarding three. and
one. and shassay. and pro-
was perfectly done up.-l
Nv bewilderment was complete when
he charming creature by my side whis-
,ered that they were going to dance the
Notwithstanding all this,
however, / determined to put on pro- |
yer face, and so demean myself in the !
Iancing part as to make full amends for
inv ignorance of the figure. But when
he first couple began to move to the
music, was astonished to see both la
lies and gentlemen merely slip and
Iide about as if they were afraid of a
all. l thought. however, that this
night be only their way of getting ready
or the high hourishes- At any rate,
elt that could beat such bending and
visiting as that all hollow, and began
O pique myself on having SO lovely a
partner to witness my accomplishments
md agility. But one thing bothered me
excessively. did moi know how TO
10 the swinging, or shassaying as they
,alI it, or balancing; and | was totally |