Morning journal and courier., 1886-08-14

on, Sam. Maybe you'd like to name if os. l your sweetheart;" and with this speed, Aa1er significantly glances in the direction ,s sne girl who is possibly her rival in Sam's ad.; 7 ration. Here, as elsewhere, it is the f. step which costs; and as these two speakel have had the hardihood literally to set the ball in motion, conversation rapidly ensues
 and the revelry is fairly begun "Fiddlin' J1m" soon makes his appearance; important personages move slowly, and realizing that there Can be no dancing until he arrives, this distinguished individual consumes as much
 tune and brings expectation to as sharp a
 point as he chooses. Seating himself in the
 chair provided for him he begins to "tune
 up." This is serious operation. Oh, shade
 of Paganini, come not near this scenel The
 instrument-which by the way is not Gre
 mona, but none the less prized for all that
 IS dumped from neck to bridge, and from
 bridge to end, in process of being tuned.
 The musician screws up string and holds
 his fiddle" to his right ear, then unscrews it
 little and holds it to his left ear; all this
 heinz done with the utmost gravity and
 dignlfied expression of countenance which
 plainly says what he has often declared in
 words, that Che ain't nowhar behindhand in the raul science O playin' fiddle"
 Finally deliberate pizzicato movement reveals the fact that the fiddle is in proper condition, and an audible and visible excite
 ment IS seen among the young people.
 'Glt your pertners!' screams "Fiddlin'
 Jim, drawing three violent strokes of the
 DOW, and uttering the command with a
 marked rhythmic accent on each word.
 The fiddle" and the terpsichorean temp tation have put all bashfulness to flight the most awkward rustic can ask girl to dance under the effect of such inspiration. and
 "hands across and down the middle" shake the cabin to its foundations The fiddler plays and looks like one in a sort of ecstacy, His foot keeps time to the measure of the rollicking tune, while his eyes seem fixed upon the blue space which peers through the cracks of the roof as if his soul were float ing out, borne aloft upon his own harmoni- ous strains. To the cultivate d ear it is exe- crable, it is torture; but ''Fiddlin' Jim" has passed beyond the regions of criticism into the unalloyed bliss of one who sees and knows no discord
 By and by the reel is finished and only the champion dancers remain on the floor. Then begins the tug of war. The true Greek is well known and each contestant has his or her bevy of admirers.
 "Now for who lasts the longest!' screams q fFiddlin' Jim." ''Who keers if the river is up?
 This last defiant interrogatory is perfectly intelligible to the company, who fully appre- ciate the serious inconvenience which enters into their lives when the river is up. Burn ing Rome and swollen rivers, however, do not interrupt enthusiastic fddlers and dan cers. After startling feats of agility on the part of the men, and many graceful evoTu- tions on the part of the girls, most of the dancers are exhausted and take their seats leaving one couple in possession of the floor. These two are to do honor to the occasion. The fiddler is now brought back from his di- vine ecstacy to the realities around him, and himself becomes an ardent partisan espous ing the cause of the girl of course, who per chance in her dancing career has slain her hundreds
 "Danee up, Kitty; don't be afeer'd," says 'Fiddlin' Jim," encouragingly.
 'Brace up, Sam, or she'll flag you, old fel- i er," mutters one of Sam's companions, whose friendship gets the better of his gal | antry. !
 Old and young gaze at the rival dancers l with intensest interest and curiosity The l dancers grow more and more excited. Each | feat performed by one suggests l one still more astonishing on the part of the | other. Sam's friends applaud and Kitty's | friends applaud more loudly.
 Make his head swim, Kitty" suggests | 'Fiddlin Jim," who sees Sams enthusiasm | to flag. This Kitty proceeds to do | oy turning rapidly round and round, which l eries of evolutions Sam is bound by all the | ules of the floor to follow. This perhaps | brings the dance to 8 conclusion, as Kitty is l sble to revolve longer and more rapidly than | Sam
 OdLu dl1us SoEIcE 1lSuG-uodutu, DuI uo | lad it on the jump" remarks one of Sam's | friends apologetically. As every defeated | youth is accorded the gallantry of having | surrendered the triumph unreluctantly to a | girl, Sam and Kitty retire in the best of hu- l nor. After the dance comes the feast, | which in all probability is "barbycue, at which the inevitable chicken pie divides the | lonors with tremendous ''peach cobbler." As "breakdowns" usually occur during the | ruit season there is no lack of peaches, ap- 'les and watermelons, which are dispensed | n prodigal profusion. Among Crackers vho are what they denominate 'sunder con- is strictly loyal to the laws nd regulations of the religious body to which they belong-games are more in fash on than dances, and all young people, whether they dance or not, take part in these | Games are sure to be played fter quilting" and by the more discreet f the Cracker settlement are considered nore dignifed and far more innocent.