The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-09-09

ed on having right down good time
of it. The party was very large and
the morning was very fine. A brisk
air like the air of Snipperham early
that day, was as exhilarating as bot
tie of Newark champagne. The crowd
were all in fine humor, and began to
pour out of the door and bundle into
the sleighs as they drove up Such
laughing and cackling among the girls
| think you never listened to in all your
life. And the horses set up a prancing
and paving as they came up, while
those who received their cargoes start
ed off on good round trot, shaking off
the music from their neeks and sides in
wreathes and circles on the frosty air.
The tavern stoop was crowded with
stay-at-homes, to cheer the rest as they
started. Old Snipperham was wide
awake Everybody felt like firing off
dozen rounds or so with a swivel, or
running up the stars and stripes to the
hickory flagstaff on the middle of the
green; or shouting, or doing something
they never thought of before. Their
puny bodies seemed great deal too
small to hold the whole of their efferve-
scent gaiety. 1t would work out in
every sort of way, and appeared for
the time to have got the uppermost
hand of them. = $3.50
They first drove plump through Po-
kahoket, which was a good ten miles
away from Snipperham, and then re-
turned to get warm and find a hot sup
pur waiting. At the table they did full
justice to their ancient Snipperham
reputation. Girls and all, they sat down
to it as they would about serious days
work. How the oysters vanished
How the roast turkey took wing again
How the knicknacks melted from the
table, like butter on mealy-mouthed
flatterer's tongue! What a discord of
male and female gable all around the
room! What work they made with
trying to help one another What
haste they were in to swallow the heap
ed piles on their plates as if they were
at the last meal, and it was to last them
all their lives.
| Pokahoket was alive and swarming.
The citizens turned out en- naasse, and
flocked over to the tavern to see the
fun 60 on. The ladies and children
packed the windows with living heads,
and pointed eagerly to every Shipper
hammer they could see around the
tavern door.
1t was dusk, and little after, when
they got the fiddles ready. And it was
half an hour after before they had linn
bered themselves out enough to go to
dancing.
They went at that pretty much as
they went at their supper; hit or miss,
each one for himself particularly. The
ladies were especially well taken care
of, because nobody could conviently
get along without them.
Well, they danced and danced. The
fiddle squeaked and squealed. The old
hall floor creaked and swung and vi
brated. And the windows shook and
ratified till it was after twelve o'clock,
when the head man said it was time to
leave off and start for home. And the
setts broke up in disorder, and the
fddles stopped as if they were attacked
with the asthma.
The committee footed the bill, and
the teams were brought round to the
door, and the gentlemen and the
"young fellers" were all ready to take
their ladies' and start for Snipperham
by the bright moonlight that was flood
ing the earth.
One stepped up after another to the
girls packed away in the entry, and
asked them if they were equipped, and
carried them out to their sleighs. Fl
nally Amos Mark plunged in, rushed
up to young lady, whom, from her
habiliments, he supposed to be Mary
Mcgee, and inquired
Cali ready?"
eyes," she answered, through her
thick veil, and went after him.
There was great deal of confusion
in getting off, and a vast discord OF
bells and voices all mixed up in snarl
before the house. 1t would have been
a hard place, indeed, for man to tell
his own wife from any other woman.
But they all bundled in at last, and
Amos in his proper place in the line,
began his return ride of ten miles from
Snipperham.
To tell the truth, as it was, the Polka.
hoket "Tom and Jerry" had some
considerable influence on the sentiments
of portion of the sleigh riders, and
upon Amos Mark especially. He fel,
so much warmed up that he could dc
no less than make himself surprisingly
agreeable to the girl under the same
bearskin.
"Mary," said he, speaking low un
der his burden of mufiers, show dc
you like it ?"
i She said it suited her.
care you cold?"
"Oh, no indeed, amt cold bit"
"Glad of it. I'm warm myself.
hope you've enjoyed yourself, haven''
your" .ga
"Oh, first rate! Had beautiful
timer' By-and-by Amos began t
} square up against her. She did mo-
seem to resist it much Then he tool
, hold of her hand and began to squeezt
that. And she tried to squeeze bacl
as hard as he did. Finally he talked
J to her again.
"Mary, said ho, -" I love you, d.
: lxyor lovo y,o 81,