The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-08-04
THAT DANCE AT CHEESEMAN'S.

;
THAT DANCE AT CHEESEMAN'S.
Eattening ones nose against the window,
and looking over the brown fields, with the
rain blotting out the distant hills, is not an
exhilerahng employment.
So thought I one February afternoon;
but what else was there for me to do?
q was away in the country, staying, at q
tavern, |" to use the vernacular Of the in
habitants.
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, I turned away from the window with
asigh.
At this opportune moment Jim Hawkins,
the tavernkeeper' son, came in.
Jim was the country Adonis. He was six
feet high and broad in proportion. With
such physique, who can wonder that all
the maidens sighed for him?
But Jim was bashful. The very flutter of
apetticost was terrifying to him. So I
wRsa little surprised when he came in and
6tOOV Ot1OIS VIC AI0 III VIC atlAGuO6 VI d
man who has something to say. I looked
at Jim with quite degree Of interest. It
was mildly exciting, after my long hours of
mentally forgave him for having his panta-
looms tucked in the tops of his boots, which
were redolent of the stables. Jim looked
at the floor, the ceiling, in the FIRE, any
where but at me. Then suddenly clearing
his throat with stentorian "h-e-m!'' he
plunged into the subject on his mind Il
thought, meb be, seeing you must be lone
ssome-h-e -m!" His voice failed him for
q minute. He took off his hat. He had
neglected this tritling Formally until now
gazed refectively into its depths, found
his lost ideas, and continued, And might
kind o'-like- A second suspension
ofthe 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 like to kind o.
go to Cheeseman's dance tomorrow night p
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 dancer" OF course I
would. i assured him that never, in the
whole course of my existence, had gone
anywhere with the delight would 60 to
Cheeseman's tomorrow night. In fact my
thanks were SO warm that Jim became
alarmed and fed before them.
The next evening at twilight we might
have been seen-in fact We were seen en-
route for Cheeseman's.
Our vehicle was Studebaker's wagon.
There were three seats in it. Jim's brother
Tom sat on the front seat with his girl
Son cot in, ho
with his girl while Jim and sat on the
back seat over the axle.
Tom confined his attention to the horses.
His girl was evidently accustomed to his
taciturnity. She observed to the rest of us
that Toms bein' SO still was no discomft-
ment to her, for she could talk for two.
And she soon proved her ability
Sam considered himself great wag. He
said to me during the first five minutes OF
our drive
Il reckon Tn just the biggest mischief,
when get started, that you ever seen.
And his efforts for the remainder of the
time was to make good his assertion.
As for me the ride was one prolonged
agony. Every jolt of the wagon almost
parted my soul and body, and no man could
describe Jim's sufferings. So great was
his horror Of sitting near me, he perched
himself on the extreme edge of the seat,
at the imminent risk of being precipitated
in the mud. This modesty called forth
continual fire of remarks from the funny
Sam. He declared he want afraid of no
gall. And exemplifed his courage by
winding his arm around the wais, Of his
Dulcinea and making osculatory demon
STATIONS. aNow quit that, Sam Hawkins,
amt ye shamed o yourself?" 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
covulsions of merriment. These refined
pleasantries we're tortures to jim; whether
he was afraid like manifestations were ex-
pected of him, do not know, but his suf-
fering was SO evident that he was an object
of deepest sympathy to me. Twas glad we
arrived at the end of our journey.
Cheeseman was bachelor Cheese
mans house consisted Of one large room,
with Alean-to kitchen in the rear.
The host stood in the door as we drove
up. Evidently he had been partaking of
something stimulating, for giving vigorous
whoop-ee! when we arrived, he bounded
out to meet us with an eagerness that was
really painful. Tom allowed him to swing
his ASary Jane" without protest. But
Sam jumped out of the wagon with @No,
you don't, ole fel, and took his own fair
one with swing that landed her on the
doorstep.
In the mean time Jim quickly jumped
from the back of the wagon, and giving me
his hand helped me out before the inebri-
ated Cheeseman perceived his intention.
We hurried into the house, while our
host helped Tom attend to the horses. The
ballroom was neither papered or plaster
ed. The brown color of the native pine
showed in all its vigorous innocence. But
there was an abundance of candles. Can.
dies, candles everywhere, spluttering his
sing, making themselves into puddles of
tallow. An immense lantern was suspend
ed from the ceiling. two others hung over
the front door.
There were some wooden benches ar
ranged about the sides of the room. where
sat the expectant guests. Tho orchestra .
sat IN the upper part Of the ROOM It con-
sisted Of one man and fiddle. A bucket
OF water stood on the floor beside the or
chestra, with q tin cup on the floor within
easy reach.
Jim whispered to me as we entered
the room: T reckon we'd better make il up
with Jake. He won't like it i. we don't. .
Jake?" asked, who is he?.
The fiddler, jim replied, at the same
time leading me up to the orchestra. The
form of infrodncfiOn VOC flo ave ,,~o,u,, 49,