Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-03-05

planting Of the tree (Which by the way
was very pretty, in spite of the ornaments
being of original invention and home man.
ufacture), and the toys for the children
and some surprises for the older ones
were humorously distributed.
Leaving the youngsters highly delighted
(thOugh our mails have been snow bound
and have not brought all the things they
were to have) We adjourned to the parlor
and drank Xmas beverage from punch
bowl whose inscription showed that it
was presented by the planters of Jamaica
to a lieutenant commanding Fl. NJ. s.
Blank for gallant conduct in whipping and
capturing French cruiser off their coast
in 1898. How that bowl has wandered
Ifyou could have seen our party gath
cred that evening around the piano. sing
ing and listening (four ladies, five officers
and the doctor, the coloners brother),
Pm afraid would never be able to enlist
your sympathies for the cxiles at Colville
again. The colonel plays the violin and
the doctor the flute, so you know We are
pretty we'll prepared for music.
On Xmas night the officers and ladies
were invited to attend Colville ball.
We went, of course, with our curiosity
wrought up to high pitch to see
how the affair would go. When
our sleigh deposited us after brisk
little dash, we were ushered into hall of
very fair size whcr, all the bellies and beaux
Of the valley were assembling. We were
given seats ut one end of the hall and had
time to survey the company before the
music began. The only noticeable feature
in the manners WAS that the "ladies " oc-
cupied one side of the room and the
"gentlemen the other each gallant re-
turning his partner to her place and going
back to his side as soon as the music
would cease. Shades of their ancestors
were there we'll represented, from the full
half breeds (wllOse color sometimes sug-
gests that they got more than their half of
the paint) to the ne.quarter and one
eishths, sometimes bright, clear blondes
with only al Indian feature to mark them
Some of the girls are pretty and the men
| are nearly all dark. handsome fellows. The
French infusion in tho blood cannot be
mistaken, and this was as apparent in their
mirthful dispositions and natural aptitude
for dancing as in everything else. The
quadrilles were interminable and of un-
bounded complication \ mere word from
the master of ceremonies. perched on a big
barrel, being all that was needed to change
the spirit of their dream into something
new and strange. The time was rattling,
but there was no rOughness or clumsy clog
dancing. Those who boasted of the Scotcl,
strain of the Hudson Bay company took
care to air their knowledge of the Highland
Fling and Scottish Reel. Nor was every
thing square dancing. There were waltzes,
schottisches, varsouviennes, the time
very strongly marked in the motions {; and
the Colrille Reel, how shall describe that
Well, it is danced in sets, each couple
with right arm linked in right arm and
left hands on hips, reeling and reeling and
reeiing away; suddenly there is a rever.
sal of position, all disengage, whirl around
and link left arm with the left Of the next
partner, and so it goes, a wheel within q
was good, and the ladies having come pre-
pared with short dresses, eve Of the gar.
rison" soon found ourselves Oh the floor.
We showed them "the Glide,'' ''the
Three Step" &C., &C., and they good
naturedly pulled us through their amazing
quadrillcs their cautionary exclamations
being more frequently French than Eng
lish in the excitement of the changing
figures. Then, at challenge from Oul
ladies, We danced with the (mOre or less
dusky bellies and, and-with the cook and
the maid. who had but few hours
before bastcd the Xmas turkey and
served the flaming plum pudding
for some of US at the cOlOneps
The girls had been taken to see the per.
formance under the wing of our party,
were educated, graceful, pretty, and being
the best walters ON the floor, were alto
gether too good for tho natives.
The evening passed off pleasantly, with
no disorder save the appearance Of horse
sl,oe-Omen of good luck-which came
crashing through the window pane
This, however, caused no interruption
only one revolver was drawn by one of the
chivalrous defenders of the fair, but no
one presenting himself outside to be shot
at, the ''weepon'' was quietly replaced
with cautionary remark, I" lie there y
A supper not only bounteous but good,
filled up the hour from one to two, a. m.,
''Sunday, December 26th, - when we closed
tho fete with a sparkling sleigh ride''
home, an example followed By all but
those who. having fifteen, twenty and
thirty miles to drive, went on with the
dance till daylight should make tho trail
more plainly visible. FRED.