The Wahpeton times., 1890-02-13
UNTR'Yl DANCE.
One Lits Til. Nut be sssn to b. Fully
y ~ Appreciated.
A. rstsrtai aiansnt .wAieA Has Changed Lit.
ds 1hSough tho Passing Years. Details Of
N tie 1svsi, :. Pictured By City Writer

N sne xsvsL - Stetured By . City Writer.
The country dance is thing which,
like the mountebank's collection, mus,
be seena to be appreciated, says a fan.
ctful writer in the Chicago Herald.
doubtless the custom OF dancing is as
old as the race, and agile limbs never
saw the era when they were too sedate
to express in graceful eyration the ex.
uberance OF the heart. Time seems to
have laid its chilling hand on ex-
preston merely; the spirit of the
dance may be found yet as keenly sem
sitive 10 delight us when the world
was young.
But the country dance is creation
OF It's own. AS David's brimming soul
could find no utterance so satisfying
as his ''dance before the Lord" so the
rural swain has never been able to
substitute for this enjoyment any
other so completely welcome.
The country dance has held its oldcn
form. The courtly caperings of an
earlier day may change to tho fancy
styles that now obtain. but good old
square dances, with now and then Il
waltz, have never been improved on
out OF town. Guests come as dark
ness falls, riding in any vehicle that
suits the season, and stabling the
horses in meager sheds Or on the lee
OF stacks. The women trip into the
house in such tihery as they can Sc
cure, following Polonius' instructions
more closely than their city sisters do
-"Costly thy habit Us thy purse can
buy'-for here all men know to Il
dollar just what resources every neigh
Dor has. The men stand about the
barns for a while and chat OF stock,
the crops, and such sal,lcious scandals
as are not shared in general assembly.
If the night be cold these outside
counsels are brief, indeed. The host
need not assist in these arrangements.
Every farmer knows enough of all the
4 barns in the ncighborhood to enable
him to place his team. Inside the
women have chartered with all possi-
BILE speed. exchanging coins of gossip.
while the men were out learning what
they can of interest in general, and
tossing banter to those happy ones
whose fortunes are not made" but
who are proud recipients of some
young mans attention.
Here it is not good form for lover s
to be attentive to their divinities.
They ignore each other, as IL rule, but
never for moment drop into familiar
airty with possible rivals. The coun-
try dance is quite too often Il tourney
field as we'll The savage in man is
not so thickly glazed over us in the
more exquisite city cousin, and every
neighborhood has its hero who en-
braces every opportunity, however
slight to test his powers with aspiring o
souls. No studied insult need be Civ
en-. The very air. the guarded glance,
fragments of speech. all these prepare
the way for battle, and even though
the dance be formed, the music pulls
ing and the motion swift, some peg on
which to hang u fight can surely be
found.
just step outside!"
49, That is the first the crowd knows of
hostilities declared. This going out
OF doors is /. coigne of vantage. The
first man to pass the portal may we'll
take care. Just as he trustingly.
boastfully and glorying in strength
steps from the doorway, he is likely to
receive a blow in the back, a catapult
rush, a dextrous trip that loses him
the battle right at the start. But il
both men get outside safely. the pre-.
liminaries are brief. Coats are peeled
and tossed in anger to the ground, 8
moment spent in sparring. skipping
from side to side, u few hot words, anc
one is down. Sometimes the hos,
feels called upon to provide his guests
with drink, but oftener some revelers
bring with them the brand that shall
light the fires OF conflict. These ant
all who care to drink indulge repeat
edly as the night goes on, aud, if the
holiday season be selected for the en-
tertainment. the revel goes on till al
most day, growing more boisterous a!
the hours wear away. till cruel Jest
obscene remark and open insult are a;
night was new.
Youth, whether rural or metropoli
tan, always grows rude and boisterou
as intoNication increases. and the coun
try lad finds nothing to restrain his per
verted will. He shouts. attacks, sing
ribald songs, and there is none to mo
lest or make him afraid, for even tn
sober-minded. who most readily could
find restraint in the current license tt
''let them have a good time" Blu
they that tarry long at the wine alway
have wounds without cause, alway
have redness Of eyes, and the countr,
dance is always succeeded by season
OF penance on the part of those mos
foolish among the attendants while
discreet mothers suffer sharply tina,
daughters ever lent their presence tc
such a scene.
But there is something of virtue
about the afiair-certainly enough tc
have granted it continued existence fol
decades. The very roisterers may have
struck some note even in their wildes,
orgy that found quick rhythm in 9
maiden's heart; the young men true
enough to put aside such rude enjoy.
ment yet strong enough to appear II
advantage in the comparison even with
the loudest there, always make their
way, and many woman whose crown
is virtuous wifehood and sweet matur.
ity dates her enthrallment from the
night that others remember by the
fiercest brawl.
Pre-Adanite Footprists.
What appears to be bona fide hum ar