Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-08-26
THAT DANCE AT CHEESEMAN'S

Flattening ones nose against the window,
and looking over the brown fields, with the
rain blotting out the distant hills, is not an
exhilarating employment.
So thought one February afternoon, but
what else was there for me to do?
was away in the country, staying at o
tavern, to use the vernacular of the inhab-
itants
The rain was increasing. White mists
were rising from the sodden earth.
Even the brown fields became dim, through
the shades Of the fast-coming night.
So, now that "Othello's occupation was
gone" turned away from the window with
sigh.
At this opportune moment, Jim Hawkins,
the tavernkeeper's son, came in.
Jim was the country Adonis. He was six
feet high and broad in proportion. With
such a physique who can wonder tina. all the
maidens sighed for him?
But Jim was bashful. The very hutter Of
a petticoat was terrifying to him. So was
little surprised when he came in and stood
before the fire in the attitude of a man who
has something to say. looked at Jim with
quite degree of interest. 1t was mildly ex-
citing, after my long hours Of loneliness, to
meet a fellow-being. So 1 mentally forgave
him for having his pantaloons tucked in the
NOBb Vi ulb DOONot WulCu were EGuOltuL OF l06
stables Jim looked at the door, the ceiling
in the fire, anywhere but at me. Then sud
denly clearing his throat with stentorian
"h-e-m !" he plunged inte the subject on his
mind. II thought, maybe, seeing you must
be lonesome-h-e-m." His voice failed him
for a minute He took off his hat He had
neglected this trifiing formality till now
gazed rehectively into its depths, found his
lost ideas and continued ''And might kind
o'-like-to." A second suspension of voice
now took place. This time it was alarming.
thought he was strangling. But presently
he came to the surface again. Thought,
mebbe, you'd ike-to kind o. go to Cheese
mans dance tomorrow night"
Without having the faintest idea of who
Cheeseman was, where he lived, how he
looked, or what he did, nevertheless rose to
my feet and accepted with eagerness.
Go to Cheeseman's dance OF course
would. l assured him that never, in the
whole course of my existence, had gone
anywhere with the delight 1 would go TO
Cheeseman's tomorrow night In fact my
thanks were SO warm that Jim became alarm
ed and fed before them.
The next evening, at twilight, we might
have been seen-in fact we were semen
route for Cheeseman's.
Our vehicle was Studebaker wagon
There were three seats in it. Jims brother
Tom sat on the front seat with his girl. His
cousin Sam in the middle seat with his girl !;
while Jim and l sat on the back seat over
the axle.
Tom confined his attention to the horses
His girl was evidently accustomed to his taci-
turnity. She observed to the rest of us that
Toms being so still was no discomhtment to
her, for she could talk for two. And she
soon proved her ability.
Il
said to me during the first five minutes of our
drive;
81 reckon I'm Just the biggest mischief,
when get started, that you ever seen"
As for me, the ride was one prolonged ago
ny. Every jolt of the wagon almost parted
my soul and body, and no man could de-
scribe Jim's sutierings. So great was his
horror of sitting near me, he perched him
self on the extreme edge of the seat, at the
imminent risk of being precipitated in the
mud. This modesty called forth a continual
fire of remarks from the funny Sam. He de-
clared he wasn't afraid of no gal" And ex-
emplifed his courage by winding his arm
round the waist of his Dulcinea and making
osoulatory demonstrations. ''Now quit that,
Sam Hawkins, amt ye shamed o. yourself l'
she would cry with giggle. This amused
the facetious youth TO such an extent that he
made feint of being ready TO roll out of the
wagon in commissions of merriment. These
refined pleasantries were tortures to Jim I;
whether he was afraid like manifestations
were expected of him, do not know, but his
suffering was so evident that he was an OBJ
ject of deepest sympathy to me- wes glad
when we arrived at the end of our journey.
Cheeseman was bachelor. Cheeseman' s
house consisted of one large room, with a
clean TO" kitchen in the rear
The host stood in the door az we drove IN
Evidently he had been partaking of some
thing stimulating, for giving a vigorous
"whoop-eel" !" when we arrived, be bounded
out to meet us with an eagerness that was re-
ally painful. Tom allowed him to swing his
''Sary Jane" out without protest. But Sam
jumped out of the wagon with mo, you
don't, ole fel," and took his own fair one