Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-03-21
Enforced Dancing.
A Reminiscence of Old. Hickory

} there lived III virginia an ol'
; planter, Major Hanley, who wa
} an oddity in his way. SOM
, said he was crazy, while other
; declared that only an inordinat'
love of fun gave rise to hi
quaint dcings. He might b'
called practical joker, and i
was said that he never allowed
a stranger to come and go with
out Playing upon him one Of
more of his rillicnlous tricks
One chill, drizzly autumna
evening a horseman pulled NJ
at the majors door, and reques.
ted hospitality for the night
He had wandered from his way,
and it was now TOO late TO rec
tify his mistake.
He was warmly welcomed,
and when his horse had been ia
ken in charge by competent
servant, and his saddle-bags re-
moved, he was ushered into the
great liyirg-room, where
cheerful file blazed in the enor-
nous Fireplace, and where cam
dies were lighted.
The major was a large, strong
ly-built man, of middle-age,
bald-headed, rather red in the
face, and with an eye deep-sct
and twinkling.
The guest was also of middle
age, tall and spare, but COM
pact and muscular, with fea-
lures of decided leoninc cast,
strongly marked, heavy brows,
and a shock of thick, crisp hair.
that stood up on his large head
like the name of lion.
Supper was announced, and
after that the evening passed on
pleasantly. AS the clock struck
nine the host arose and excused
himself a few minutes. When
nc returned he was accompa-
MED by negro who carried a
fiddle and bow, and the major
himself had a large horse-pis-
tol in his hand.
"My dear friend" said the
host, with q bow and q smile,
"we must not let the evening
pass without little amusement.
From your looks | know you
can dance. / have one Cf The
best fiddlers in the world: he
learned to play in New Orleans,
where music and dancing are
cultivated. SO, sir, you viii
take your place upon the floor,
and dance us a reel. Let it be
a Scotch reel,-you look like a
Scotchman. Comc,-makc no
delay" Strike up, Pomp.
The guest protested that he
could not dance. lie had not
done such a thing since his boy
hood. But Major Hanley would.
not take no for answer. lie
did not make many words. lie
cooked the pistol, ,and swore that
he would shoot the guest if he
did not dance. The negro had
began to tremblc, and once or
twice he seemed upon the point
of crying out, but fear of bis
master withheld him.
The guest seemed to consid-
er the matter. lie looked at.
the major, and at the pistol.
The man might be really insane,
though if he was, there was
much method in it. However,
he vas there aloEe-none to
behold his discomfeiture-and
mayhap, he thought, the tables
might yet be turned.
"Come-come! Dance, or /
fire."
1ne guest arose, ana STOOD III
the middle Of thereon, and there
began to dance to the negro's
music, but the music was
wretched-so wretched that the
major more than once threat
ened to shoot the negro if he
did not play better.
The poor wayfarcr danced un-
til he was fairly tired, and then
stopped. The host was upon
the point of urging him on
when a horses tramp was heard
at the landing, and presently
servant put his head into the
room and called the master out.
Whether he forgot what he was
doing, or whether he cared not
to be seen outside with the ,pis-
r..