Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-09
THE HUCKLERERRY DANCE.
One of Lieut.. Wright's "Reminiscences OF
old Times in South Baltimore,

old Times in South Baltimore.
When Lieut.. Wright, of the Southern
police district, feels in a retrospective
mood, says the Baltimore Sun, he is rich
in "reminiscences of old times in South
Baltimore. Sitting in the southern sta
ton one afternoon recently he told re-
porter about the "Huckleberry Dance
and how it got into fashion. HIS story
ran about in this wise:
One fine evening in 1920 there was a bali
in little hall which stood on a common
in South Baltimore, near the thorough
fare which led towards Ferry Bar. An
old fellow from the piney woods, Anne
Arundel county, who was passing, was
attracted by the music and entered the
place. He was requested to leave by the
committee. He declined to do so, upon
the ground that his presence could do no
harm, and ne wanted to see the 'tgirls
and boys cut capers." 1t was finally de-
cided to eject him, but be resisted to
such good purpose that some hOt-blOOd-
ed young man lost his temper and
struck him. Then the old man Ioosed
his arms and raised a whIrlwind. Men
went down before the might of his
arms like tenpins fronting skilled play
ers until half score or more were disa-
bled. So well did this representative of
the piney woods maintain himself that
he won the admiration of the majority OF
those present, and he was given permis-
sion to remain and enjoy the dance. He
asked If any lady present would "cut a
caper" with him. One courageous dam
sci consented to be his partner, but was
glad 10 deslst IN a short space, for the old
mans dancing was not up to the cOnyen-
tiOnal style. He then proposed to show
the company the huckleberry dance, and
to the music of ''Old Dan Tucker"
yankee Doodle" and other lively airs of
the period, performed most wonderful
feats of robust and grotesque dancing.
The dance caught the fancy of the
young men present, who, with Abraham
Bush. well-knOWn tavern keeper of
South Baltimore, as leader, formed them
selves into an organization known as the
"Huckleberry Crowd.' This organiza-
ton increased until it numbered 100 or
more members, and thereafter for 80
years the ''Huckleberry Dance occupied
prominent place in the social ENJOY
ment of some of the young men. The
dance was romping combination of steps
and attitudes performed to violin music
by any number of "Huckleberries" who
might choose to engage in it.
The first figure was ''hands around and
romp." Then ''dOwn on your knees -
"up my ladies; ""dOwn on your elbOWs;"
up and at it," ''rOunce around;" ''stand
on your heads;" ''to your feet and romp,"
and so on until the climax was reached
in the ''high fall" which was nothing
more nor less than leaping in the air and
falling upon the floor. Between the
various figures in the dance, which were
called by leader, every dancer was at
liberty TO execute any step of which he
was master. In those days the horn
pipes were fashionable, and jigs by no
means despised, and many "Huckle-
berries" We'd with each other in contests
of intricate steps. Some men now living,
who have not danced for twenty years,
We're "Huckleberriesn in their DAYS of
robust young manhood. Several gentle
men who have stood high in the politics of
the city and State were "Huckleberries'
in their youth, and many dignitied old
gentlemen who now nurse their rheuma-
tism were active members of the organiza-
ton previous to 1850, in which year it
ceased to exist.