Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-04

woods.
Contrary to prediction, the next morn.
ing was fair and bright, flushed with pink
n warmed with sunshine to its golden
neart. 1t was acknowledged to be the
"oeatlnest" winter weather that ever was
known-a thaw that was not enough Of a
thaw to make the roads impossible. and
without rain. The rude little settlement
was alive long before the sun was up. Can.
dies and lanterns fitted to and fro. The
people were all eager and alert. Even the
dogs and ROSTERS seemed to feel the un.
usual excitement in the air, and save vent
70 their most prolonged and jubilant ut.
terances. The storekeeper opened his es.
adjustment at six O'Clock, and found Gus.
toners already waiting on the steps.
Sledges and sleighs came tinkling in from
the woods and remote clearings. One
jaunty bear.skin jacket, had walked five
miles to borrow a white petticoat to wear
to the dance. Another travelled ten, by
way OF an ox-team, to obtain a pair of
open.work stockings from a friend who
was asthmatic and could not go. Even
during his ten years. s%ojourn at the settle.
menS the storekeeper had never reaped
such a harvest as he did on that day.
toward night the air grew crisper and
colder, as it had done on the day before.
The sledge-runners crunched over the
Az" NiAi OICic WIS d llGGl0 lTOSbY Gllkle
to the bells, which wok every woodtrack
with it's CHEEKY melody, foated down the
lce'bound river, echoed across the axe and
along The we'll .trodden main road. The
hall at the Forks where the dance was to
De held bare, unfinished apartment,
Quilt for the use of, but not yet takon pos.
session OF by, the town-was decorated in
the most elaborate manner, but chiefly
with small flags aud strips of cloth in rcd.
wn'te, n blue, as if for some patriotic
occasion. A stuffed eagle nestled in a
power OF evergreen, holding a banner ON
huge bill. The clock was encircled in a
wreath ct paper roses, as was also the pic.
ture Of Daniel Webster, which, having an
oval frame, caused the great statesman to
LOOK as II he were masquerading for a May
Queen.
Barker arrived at the festive scene just
in Tina to assist Mrs. Jones and Drusy
from their sleigh. Dancing hal already
commenced. though it was not yet eight
O'Clock. And what q motley crowd it was
which moved to the lively measures of
Money Musk" Several of the ladies as
well as the men were tripping the eight
fantastic toe" in moccasins. Girls in calico
gowns wore wreaths of artificial flowers
upon their heads. Henrietta Blaisdell, a
fat, shapeless girl with a freckled face,
whose father owned more pine tiraber than
any other man in the county, wore black
silk, and was regarded with something
like awe by the less fortunate ones in
calico and homespun. Drusy was hand.
somer than ever, in a soft woollen gown of
dull blue, with a red rose in the masses of
her black hair and another at her throat.
The schoolmistress, a pretty blonde, who
was also n belle, wore white muslin, with
a gay ribbon about her waist. Nearly all
the men wore red shirts, but the tie Of
their cravats betokened careful study.
Barker sported a gorgeous aistcoat, or
namsnted with brilliant flowers of all the
colors in tho rainbow, which he had pur.
chased for the occasion from the cool at
the camp, who had inherited it from an
uncle that had died twenty years before.
And from this same youth, who was too
bashful to go to the lance himself, he OBJ.
tanned the loan of a pair Of embroidered
slippers which had been SAINT to him by a
sister in the Far West. Wetherbee wore
an ordinary cloth suit, made by a city
tailor, and was by far the hess.dressed and
most gentlemanly-looking man in the
room.
When Drusy appeared upon the scens
he was dancing the first dance with Hen
rietta Blaisriell. He tossed her one of his
pleasant smiles as he whirled breathlessly
past, and her eye followed him with a
look which poor Barker would have gwen
worlds to interpret as he stood sad and
humble in all his unwonted magniicence
by her side. The fiddler, who was a tim
peddler and a poet and the teacher of a
"cipherin'. school," as we'll as a musician,
ally calling upon the dancers to "warm up
M shake their heels more lively"
"Here, you Joe, you're quick enough at
figgers, but you don't handle them mog-
gersons o. yourn in no kind er t!me," he
shouted to a clumsy lumberman, whose
was scarlet in tho face with her exertions
to drag him about to the fierce time of the
music.
Drusy laughed. ST don't care about that
kind Of dancing" said she. "Iy's a regular
whirlwind."
81 was a-goin' ter ask We ter dance long
O. me. Drusy, only I was most afeard tew,
fur I knowed I shouldn't keep STEP" said
Barker, timidly. "Reube seems ter be
a.keepin' his balance fustrate, but l hain't
built so genteel es he is, nor he'd the exper.
iunce, neither" And he sighed deeply:
~ amt going to dance at all, John. pd
much rather look on. l think it's real fun
to see 'em scramble about"
He frightened at this, but soon became
a prey to melancholy again, for as soon as
the dance was over a crowd of men pressed
to Drusy's side. Not even Henrietta
Blaisdell or the pretty schoolmistress re-
ceived half as much attention. The fact
Of her being a " hired grip at the 'tahv-
ern' rather added to than detracted from
her social Importance, II there was a
charm about her gay, gracious manner
and bright beauty which was irresistible.
"Reube seems ter be tryin' tew make up
with Henritty ag'in," whispered one Of
the lumbermen to his sweetheart.
''He's been kinder strayin' of in the di.
rection of the tahvern lately; but pine tim
ber's more tekin' then good looks tew some
folks"
"Likely ez not Drusy won't hev nothin'
tew say tew him." said the girl. "Yhat
gawky-lookin' John Barker pears tew be
hangin' raound her consid'able. 'Twould
be kind er funny eff she should like him
BETTER" And she laughed scornfully.
Barker overheard this, and the girl's
words, and, above all, her laughter, stung
him to :hs quick. He eaned against the
patriotic wall and meditated bitterly.
Reube came over and stood by Drusy's
side, and they talked in a low, interested
tone. She never talked to him in that
way, never listened to what he had to say
with such half-shy, hali-coquettish atten.
Reube.
The sleigh-bells of some late.comers came
tinkling up to the door.
"Wby, Sam, what's kept ye SOL? It's
most nine O'clock" exclaimed one of the
lumbermen to a red-shirted comrade who
came hurrying into their midst.
IS ok man at the camp. The doctor
from the Mills hez jest been ter see him,
but said he couldn'S do nothin' fur him;
reckoned he'd be a goner before mornin'."
uA fal,ar nv the name n, Seth Hordin,.