Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-04-22
PpTitan ThsHkrgivine Dance.

Puritan Thankrgivine Dance.
. lLLli - Il ~
Whenever or wherever Il Was
that the idea Of the sinfuIness OF
dancing arose In New England, /
know not-it Is a certain TACT that,
at Old Town. at this time, the pres.
euce ofthe minister and his Indy
was not held - be In the slightett
degree Incompatible with. this
amusement. We appeal to tho
memory OF many of our readers II
they or their parents could not re.
call a time IN New England when,
In oil the large towns, dancing as-
semblies used to be statedly held,
Of which the minister and bis lady,
though never uniting in the dance,
always gave an approving attend
ance, and when allthe decorous, fe-
spectacle old church members bro't
their children, and staid themselves
to watch an amusement in which
they no longer actively partook.
No one looked on with 4 more
placid and patronizing smile, as
one after another rbvKan Joining
the exercise which commenced
first with the children and young
people, crept gradually upward
among the elders. Uncle Bill
would insist on leading ont Aunt
Lois, and the bright color rising to
her thin cheeks, brought back
futtering image Of what might have
been beauty in some fresh, early
day. As to Uncle Eliakim, he
jumped and fFisked and RyTated
among the single sisters and maid
en- aunts, yhirling them into q
dance as if he had been. the little
black gentlemen himself with
that true spirit Of Christian charity
which marked all his actions, he IN
variably chose out the hoineliest
and most neglected for partners;
and thus worthy Aunt Keziah, dear
old soul, was fora time quite prom
inent by his attentions. wms1
OF course, the dances. in those
days were ofa strictly moral nature.
The very thought of one Of the
round dances Of modern times
would have sent Lady Lathrop be-
hind her big fan in helpless confu-
sion, and exploded my grandmoth-
er like a full charged arsenal of in
dignation. As it was, she stood
with her broad, pleased face radiant
with satisfaction, as the wave Of
joyousness crept higher and higher
and higher around her. till the ell
ders, Who stood keeping time with
their heads and feet, began to tell
each other how they had danced
with their sWeethearts in good old
days gone by, And the elder wo-
men began to blush and bride, and
to boast Of steps they could take in
their youth, till the music finally
subdned them, and into the dance
they went ao@ .'o
"Well, well!" quoth my grand
mother, they're all at it so hearty,
| don't see why | shouldn't try It
myself" and into the Virginia reel
she went, amid screams of laughter
from all the younger members Of
the population. But, / assure you,
my grandmother was not a woman
to be laughed at, for whatever she
once set on foot she "put through"
with a sturdy energy befitting a
daughter of the Puritans. "Why
shouldn't l dance 2" she said, when
she arrived, red and resplendent, at
the bottom of the set. "Didn't Mr..
Dependency, and Miss Muehafraid
and Mr.. Readytohalt, ell dance to-
gether in the Pilgrims Progress ?"
And the minister, in his ample,
flowing wig, and my lady, in her
stiff broeade, gave to my grand
mother a solemn twinkle of appro-
baton. .giaH
As nine o'clock struck, the whole
scene dissolved and melted for
what well-regulated village would
think of carrying festivities beyond
that hour? And SO ended our
Thanksgiving at Old Town.-1frs.
Stooce's Unpublished Novela l