The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-02-11
Alabama Wayside Dances.

In the country districts of Alabama,
i'm autumn, it is usual for the young peo-
pie of neighborhood to meet together
for dance or 6. frolic," as they call it. A
short time since attended a reunion of
this kind, in company with well-known
planter of Mount Meigs. At little
after shutdown we set out from my
friends house, and, after a quick drive
of half an hours duration, came to the
school-house where the festival was to be
held. a"The Academy" as the building
was called, found to be dilapidated
structure, without doors, and with many
of the window-sashes broken. The floor
was i'm good condition, however, and that
seemed to be all that was necessary. On
either side of the large room was an i'm
mense fireplace we'll filled with blazing
pine logs At first number of candles
were placed around on knives stuck into
the walls for the purpose, but as the
evening advanced, and these went out,
the log-fires were relied on for light as
we'll as heat. A number of young men
and women had assembled before we
reached the school-house, and as we en-
tered, an old Frenchman was engaged in
tuning a violin. While this was being
done l had an opportunity of closely OBJ
serving those who were present. The
girls, [ noticed, were simply yet taste
fully dressed. Many of them wore ex-
pensive ornaments, and they all had the
appearance of being refined and intelli'
gent. The young men, on the contrary
were rather stupid-loOking set, and ev.
identity found some difficulty in talking
to their better informed partners. They
all appeared in their ordinary clothes
and not few wore torn and patched
coats. / was informed afterward thai
many of them were the sons of mel
who, before the war, were the possessor'
of large fortunes. When the solitary
musician had finished tuning his instru
ment, he called out to the young men t.
take their partners for quadrille. Thi
was done without ceremony, and TIT
whole company, some thirty persons
formed themselves into one SET The.
then went through the figure of an ordi
nary quadrille. The same dance was re
peated several times. / wass NATURAL!
somewhat surprised at this, and asked
young lady who stood near me if the.
would dance nothing but quadrilles dur
ing the evening. "Nothing but quad
riilesr' she replied; "what else shoul'
they dance g' WE'LL" said /, slightl
confused, "they might waltz" WALTZ!
exclaimed the young lady, evidentl
greatly astonished; 81 would have yo
!. to know, sir, that girls in this part G
Alabama are too well brought up t
dance round dances"
Subsequently / was informed tina
, waltzing was considered very sinful b
the people of the neighborhood, and a
though most of the young men and W.
men present had attended the sam
school, and lived together all their live
!. none Of them were bold enough to Ell
: gage in any form of so-called roun
!. dances. Speaking to a well-known re
ident of Mount Meigs on the subject,
asked him what harm there was in walt
q ing. "Well," said he, 81 don't know
s unless it is that the young men put the
!. arms around the girls waists" Att
F! the dance was over, the young me
+ drove up their buggies to the door, an
Y carefully wrapping their ,partners
e shawls and blankets, seated themsely,
G by their sides and drove off through Il
0 dark woods. Society in Mount Meig
r displaying the same inconsistency tn,
: she shows in New York or London, d
r clares that it is very wicked for your
e man to place his hand upon a girl
Q waist in a lighte room and before a
: the world, but finds nothing wrong
S allowing the same young man and W
: man to seat themselves very close
a gether and drive many miles through
: dark and lonely wood.-ALabama Letter