The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-05-30
Pomeroy on Fancy Dances.

POmeroy on Fancy Dances.
The following description of fancy
dances, with some pertinent hits there
upon, is from the pen of Brick Pome
roy, a Wisconsin editor:
We felt, oh! how good. We counted
on happiness even such as Moses must
have felt when he saw those wicked
Pharo'd players that had beat him sc
long, swallowed up in the Red Sea
We walked into the ball room as proud
as the 4th of July and twice as indie
pendent. There was music there-lots
of music. There were other happy
people there-dressed to. kill. The
dance commenced, and we led off al
the head of a cotillion. By Jove, but
it was fun! We saluted partners
joined paddles and had regular old
fashioned "ring round rosy" Then
we went forward and back, and it was
nice! Then we did so again, and il
was nicer than before. Then we all
damned" to the left. That was nice,
too. Then we crossed over, and that
was rather pleasant, as we had good
company. Then we crossed back
again, just as easy like! Then we
rested and all joined issue, as the law
yers say, and promenaded down to the
starting point. Then we had a Jig
Did you ever jig it," reader? If fnot,
you don't know what makes good ex.
ereise. Then we swung" and the
accomplished writer hereof felt as if he
was a maiden comet, flirting around
the moon! Then we promenaded to
seats.
The next dance was waltz. We
hate waltzes-they made us so sick at
the stomach the only time we tried
one, that we never could venture again.
any man who has brains is always so
affected! Soon a dapper little chap
came up, and says he, Miss, do you
waltz?" Mind you he said this to our
girl, not his own! She looked at us
said yes, and in one minute they were
going it round the room like New Years
after Christmas, and with about the
same chance to catch up. One hand
of his held one of hers. That we could
stand. His other hand was about her
waist-right where the dress fits so
snug. Well it was her waist so we
made out to stand that! But her head
lay on his shoulder, and around and
around, and around they whirled. He
looked at us-we looked at him, and
away they whirled. Her head lay
there, just like does an angels lay when
asleep; and away they whirled, her
little feet seeming to pop through our
heart. After while the dapper chap
brought her back. Just then our head
began to ache. We sat and we talked,
but she was to tired to answer.
Then says she, "don't you dance the
fancy dances ?'' Says we, "nary p
Just then tall fellow came up and says
he-"'lo, Brick, in for fun?" Says we,
yes-in for it," Then says he "Miss,
do you polk ?" Says she certainly
She looked so sweet as she said it, and
in half a minute they were chasing a
polka gallopade around the room. II
we could have had our sword cane there,
we should have polked him through
the ribs-but we did not have it, so we
bit on a nail, and sat still. Well, they
polked out. The girl, like Noah's
pigeon, returned, and we had just be.
gan to feel happy again, when big
military man came up without recog
nizing us, though he owed us two
dollars, and said he "Miss, do you
Schottish ?" She made an answer in
the affirmative, and at it they went
All, sweet one, but that was the dance
The music didn't amount to much the
stepping was not difficult, but the hug
ging! Umph, umph But it looked sc
nice, and there we sat If colt pisto
had been there, we'd shot-tished tina
fellow-sure fire.
How our head did ache! We in
vited that fair damsel to dance thinking
to enjoy an evening, and hang us to he
belt if it:wasn't a dum-sel-the Who'll,
of it! And when she came and seated
herself by our side-our neglected side
how pretty she looked! Says she
"oh, Brick its such fun % And sh,
laid her white taper gloved finger ol
our broad-eloth coat-sleeves as mucl
as to say "you poor ignorant one-hov
I pity thou!"
The next dance was of the Spanisl
persuasion. The fair girl was tired
and no one asked her to dance it, AM
we could not, we twain had pleasan
tete-a-tete on the bench by the wall
Then came another sobottish. Say
she, you can dance it" Says we
" "nary dance itT' Says she, "pleas
try itw Says we, "well!" and tool
our places according. Then began tn
music. "One, two, three" and the to-
of our boot inserted itself through he
skirt! "No NATTER" said she! "Four
five, six" and by blunder we steppe'
on her toe! That put moments stol
to the performance. Soon we were al
{ right, and Just us we had begun t
learn the divine pleasure of the hug
ging part, which was far better tha
the rest, our foot caught in rip in th
canvass carpet, and tripping the ligh
fantastic toe," was illustrated to tn
great disgust of ourself and the merri
ment of the lockers on. We gave al
led our partner to seat-retired 10
repairs, and when we returned, con
found us if she was not putting In llk
a comet, with the identical chap W