Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-03-12
Daily y EaS!e
THE tIUuLl1ko DAUGHTER.


Honah yer pahdnah; objict Their same-jins
hands an circle ther hall-an' circle ther
half"
Keen and shrill as the. notes Of z frightened
inv rang the opening chords CO the 'ATkan
saw Traveller" drawn from the gayly rib
boned violin, by the deft fingers of 'Olc
Brisbane who had furnished the music fol-
all the Snake Ridge "shindigs" from time
imnemosial; sting -ahng tang" from the fly
ing knitting needles with which "WiddeT
Thompson's jim" was s'knockin' rude
accompaniment on the same instrument
''thumpity thump," as heavily shod feet rat
tied on the uneven focr-ai;d the Christmas
ball" was fairly under way.
''Promenay single, back agin. One at er
time-one at er dime" sang, rather than
called. the gray bearded Brisbane, following
his usual custom of ''dewin his own prompt
inn .'Trot aroun' thar lively, 'you Teller
from POND Crick. Git lar Swiss move
meut on We. an'-Fust foah, foh'd an back F!
Fahd up. an right an lef' through! Git
over on that side, Molly Ann Meeks, Lady
onain; chain-a-back; sling, 'em right an lef'
/an' poun; sand"
claimed ny companion, rs we stopped Just
outside the door and looked in upon the
merrymakers. ''See that Teller in Their blue
shirt and big boots. He had a pow'rful chill
this afternoon; seed i'm about an hour by
sun, an he was burnin up ,pith fever. Don
look much like it now, duz ten'
He surely did not It was his turn to
forward ana back" and with proudly erect
head, one hand on his hip, and the other ex-
tended as high as his rather dimnutive
partner could reach with her finger tips, he
was executing complicated step, half way
between a double shuttle" and series of
crow hops. Ben auus did beat thar Jews
ter daince,' continued my guide, with no at
tempt to conceal his admiration, ''pears like
it comes material fer him ter sling them big
feet Of hisn ShGcks! Ef c'ud on'y daince
that way I'd never dew notllin' elsen
"Who is the young lady who is dancing
with him"'
''Rinda Brisbane. she's tI.er fiddler's gal
Ev'ybody thinks a heap of that little ole
gal. Purtiest gal on Snake Ridge, think
blest if don't.'
''Fust lady ter Their right Ian cut 'er mighty
fine, vociferahad the fiddbar: and the long.
quiyering bow leapt across tie strings with
renewed vigor, while the keen, gray eyes,
sparkling amidst,a tangled wilderness Of brist
ling beard and dangling foretop critically
noted the 1.-the movements Of Molly Ann
Meeks-the ''fust lady, i'll question. "Swing
'am, ef yer want few, and cheat i'm of yer
KIM"
With enticing grace the agile dancer foated,
for an instant, almost in reach of my friend
Of the blue shirt, sprang forward, with ex-
tended arms, and then, with a hooking bow,
darted aside, and back to her own partner,
who ''swung herr with ruoe courtesy, and es-
corted her on to the third gent, who had al
ready prepared Tor her coming by backing
out into the circle and commencing very
awkward but energetic war dance in honor
of her arrival.
''Did you see that!" queried bystander
anxiously
Cheated Ben Cofee." muttered my COM
panion, in almost breathless excitement.
Don't that beat ye!"
Thought Ben an Molly had done made it
up ter marry" remarked third. whats
wrong now, wonders"
Its all on account of that Brisbane gal'-
eagerly asserted an elderly lady, who had
lighted her corn cob pipe and stationed her
self in the doorway. ~ knowed thar'd be
trouble when Ben TUX 'Rinda On Their floor fer
the first dance. Molly Ann amt gon' ter be
run over by no SIGH trash as taem BrisbaneS
1t don't run in Their Meek's family ter play
second fiddle ter nobody"
~ reckon Ben kin dance with who he
pleases," muttered the stalwart youth vino
had accompanied me from the little hotel at
Snake Ridge Village. Course he'd rather
daince with 'Rinda, ev>y time. ANYBODY
would-an' SO would Il Kinda is nice little
gal, eff she has bin off ter skule; thar ha.n't
nicer one in Arkansa w-nosyher."
left him arguing the case with the garru-
lous old dame, and crowded my way through
the room to the f1ddler's side He acknowl-
edged the presence OF a stranger with ii slight
nod, and moved along On the rude bench IN
order that / might be seated.
q Second gal dance as purity as she KIM
Evenin' stranger. Take seaf-swing that
man III Their stai1ed an ridercd shirt. Looks
a little like rain outside / reckou-po'rful big
ring aroun' the moon las niGht-'Bala ter
ther ncx'-Hope it'll keep dry tell L gether
my corn-'Swing him ef yer love imam
git my house re-kivered, bekase-'Balance ter
Bill jackson, thar'-the ole house leaks like
i'm eff We hev tew. Swing Yer
honey an all corn breadr"
| was, as it CHANGED, fair performer on !
the clarinet, and had my favorite instrument
with me.
As it caught Brisbane's eye ne nodded his /
head in approval.
Chip in,n he exclaimed, as he started the
third lady on her trip around the circle. .
This ere ole shell is tuned ter concert pitch;
] alluS keep 'er thar. Put on a full head Of .
steam an make 'er loot lively"
The first blast on the ''leetle hawn,n as one .
of the bystanders at once termed it. drew the |
attention of everybody in the room. The I.
''Widder Thompson's Jim" stopped knock
in'' the strings and dropped his knitting
needles in Surprise, while dancers and spec
tators alike favored me with stares of sur
prised interest. Ia the entire assembly l /
noted but one exception to the general rule.
Kinda Brisbane, "the fiddlers little ole gall
as my companion had lately termed henry
own demure little 'Rinda-gave one startled
glance in my direction, and then her eyes
dropped, and l could discern a wave of color
sweep over her face.
She had been expecting my coming but
not so soon; and the notes of the clarinet.
so familir to her ear in the bright, beautiful
days of the past summer, had been to her the
first intimation OF my presence.
Our eyes met, fer an instant, bat that was
the only sign of recognition on the part OF
either. restrained nv desire to rush 10 her
side, and turned my attention strictly to my
duties as assistant musician Ny sole bust
ness on this particular occasion was TO pro-
pitiate stern and unreleuting parent"
and l was determined TO let nothing what
ever swerve me from my purpose.
p,-,.l
slight assistance | offered him; pattei his
foo with renewed yiuol. las,,a3 biS head