St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-17
HARRISON AND THE DANCE.
How Some Young People Fooled
Gen. Harrison Many Years Ago.

How Some Young People Fooled
Gen. Harrison Many Years Ago.
'When Gen. and Mrs. Harrison lead
| the inaugural pall may be there to
see,'' said one of group.of ladies in
indianapolis the other afternoon, who
were intimate girl friends of Mollie
Scott, the youngest sister OF Mrs. Har
rison, during her residence in this city.
"And l." responded another of the
party. I'm my minds eye | still see
| them watching us play Tucker and
enjoying the fun as much as any one"
The ladies laughed heartily at the
mention of the occurrence, the story of
| which is as follows:
At the close of the war the persons
mentioned belonged to a little social
| club OF about twelve couples. The girls
were all members of the church and of
strict Presbyterian families, while the
| gentlemen, for the most part, were brave
| young fellows who went to the front
| when mere boys, and for their gallantry
| on the field were rewarded with promo
| ton, and fascinating did they seem to
| the average sixteen-year-old girl when
| they appeared in full dress uniform,
| with gIittering buttons and shoulder
| straps.
| The return of the soldiers made soci-
! ETY. gay and dancing parties numerous.
The lancers was at the hight of pop
ularity. and the members of the club
were eager to learn it; but, alas for the
| poor little Presbyterian girls, dancing
was not INDUCED in to a great extent by
church people, and it was some time
before they could convince their parents
that parlor dance with piano music
was perfectly harmless.
After some time tdey succeeded in OBJ
tanning permission to enjoy themselves
| in this manner from the majority of the
parents, but some remained mistaken
to the last.
The club was entertained from time
to time among the girls who were al
lowed this liberty, and i'll short time
could 90 through the entire dance per-
fectly without calling the figures.
There were several good musicians
among their number. who took turns at
| the piano, and each evening was ioyously
anticipated. Two of the members of
this happy company were the brother
and sister of Mrs. Harrison. Henry
Scott was a handsome and popular
Young man, lieutenant in the gener-
ais old regiment. Mollie was happy,
| light-hearted girl, brilliant converse
tionalist and accomplished musician,
and universal fayorite among her ac-
| quaintances.
None enjoyed these little home dances
| more than they, although Gen. Harri-
sen strongly opposed dancing of every
| description. This fact we all knew and
| had discussed time and again. When
| il came Miss SCOTS turn to entertain
! the club at the home of her sister she
said sadly to some of her confidential
friends, Il am afraid we won't have a
pleasant time. If we could only dance
I'd be perfectly happy, but ] wouldn't
dare ask Brother Ben, for l know it
| would do no good, and then he might
! not let me 60 out any more. L think |
! could bring Carrie around all right, but
Ben-he is so strict, you know; so we
will have to entertain ourselves in some
! other way aud make the best of it,
The evening arrived and all were as
sembled in the coy parl0r. Some one
asked for music, when strain from the
| favorite quadrille set every foot in mo-
ton.
''Oh, if we could only dance. said one;
| but lust across the hail in the sitting
room. in full view, sat Gen. Harrison
| absorbed in favorite book, while near
him sat Mrs. Harrison, and Russell and
Mamie-little tots then-were playing
about the room.
"Hush." whispered Mollie. ''if you
say another word about dancing I'll not
get TO 60 out another time. Now. Ben
| doesn't care how much fun we have nor
how much noise we make, but it won't
| do to even think about dancing in his
| house."
why can't we make him think it's
| play. He won't know the difference,
| suggested one of the boys.
II wonder if we could fool him?' said
| another, and Mollie, stepping over aud
| quietly closing the parlor door. said she
| didn't suppose he would know dance
| if he saw one. We thereupon held a
caucus ana plotted to deceive that inno-
cent man in his own house. A plan was
| finally agreed upon, and Mollie, accom-
panied by two other unblushing young
| SINNERS, stepped across the hall and
said:
ben, do you care if we play Tuck
| err ~
"'Tucker,'p said he. looking up from
| his book. "what is 'Tucker'?"
.'Oh. it's sort of play" explained
| the daughter of devout deacon. where
the boys and girls all get around in a
| ring and there is an odd one in the CEN
| ter called Tucker and when they
promenade he steals some ones partner.
! and the one who is left wlthaut is
| Tucker the next time. It's awfully
| funny"
"Why, / don't care what you play"
| said the general pleasantly.
| swell, but we thought you might OBJ
| iect.r said the conScienee-strickeu Mol
| lie, s'because we step around to music"
| '.SometifiBgl ike the old-fashioned
sWeeviiy Wheat?" said her companion
Enjoy yourselves as you choose"
! said the general, and we needed no in
vitation to find our places upon the floor
while Capt. Jack McCauly fnow of
Louisville. Ky..) took his position in
| the center The music commenced and
! we began to dance the ianeers. At the
! first promenade Jack got a partner and
/ Milt Robertson (stiil prominent bust
| ness man of this city, was left alone.
| We laughed long and loud over the sue
eessful new feature of the dance, and
| Gen. and Mrs. Harrison stepped over to
| the door to see the fun Promenade
| again, and Henry Scott was lett with
| out partner. The general laughed
1 with the rest OF us when Jack McCauly
| who was the life ofthe company
| was Tucker" again ana again.
| We never passed more delightful
evening. and it is possible that Gen.