The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-10-15
A RaBUN COUNTY FROLIC.
From DaveU. Sloan's Fogy Days and Now.

Ia OioSh NitAi-S3 NS"0SS6
the fa7orite amusement with the young
people, and in my youthful days l Ell
gagged in all kinds of terpsicaorean fellc'
tiles, Participated in the fashionable CO.
tillions wal,zes and polkas, ct the balls,
weddings and parties, with the elite OF
that day have been to the piuey woods
frolics, shin digs and stag dances, but in
Raybun county, Ga, where once lived
our Chief Justice Bleckley and the sill
ver-tongued II. V. NJ. Miller, attend
frolic that for intensity of enjoyment,
cast glamour over all the balance Of
my experience.
had recently returned from Califor-
MIA, and my father was contractor on
the old Blue Ridge Railroad. in South
Carolina, and had taken contract in
Rabun county, Ga, known as the Whit
miro fill, and said by Col. Walter Gwinn
chief engineer, to be the deepest railroad
fll then known, measuring los feet from
the culvort top of the grade, and de-
scription of which was given by our
Judge George Hillyer, in an Athens pa
per, in bis youthful reportorial work,
aud where I first made his acquaint-
ance.
In this contract 1 was to be partner
as we'll as a manager and had made 4
horse. back trip into Rabun. was riding
through the rich valley, at the very head
waters OF the Tennessee river, with q
resident young man named Major Glib
son. Late in the afternoon (dusk had
already commenced 10 throw its sable
mantle over the beautiful valley, as we
passed a store we were informed OF a
log rolling and quilting close by, and de-
cided to attend, but as we had partici-
pated in the labor of rolling logs, and
did not like to intrude without some
equivalent Oh our part as contribution,
60 bought q jug of mountain dew and had
it sent over to the frolic we were wei
coined and our present was we'll re.
ceiyed by the boys. We were introduced
as the men from Csliforny and we all took
familiar smile from the aforementioned
jug.
The quilts having been finished and
removed, the froIic bad already COM
menced. Our host, Jack Bradley, was
the fiddler his tune was au old time ia.
nous one, and widely know as "Rye
Straw" and Jacks performance was Ell.
tirely confined to the bottom part of the
tune, but after bit like the Arkansaw
Traveler) I veutured to ask him if he
never went up stars on that tune? lie
answered that he didn't because he didn't
know where the steps was, and handing
me the instrument asked me if could
play the fiddle? | answered that some
times sawed little and put the upper
story on "Rye Straw" the best | could.
1t proved ens!rike, as I discovered that
1 had become very popular person. l
showed Bradley the stairs,eps and soon
had him educated go he could go through
the upper story of the ture.
Suddenly I felt slap on my shoul.
der and turning, discovered my assault
er 10 be q splendid specimen Of fresh
mountain girlhood, beauty with rosy
cheeks and sparkling eyes. She said,
"CaliforDy. less you and me take turn"
"'Nough said," says I, as quick as cat
could wink his eye, and calling on
Bradley to give US the best ne had
in the shop, he promised to empty
out the gourd for us and added:
$50 it, Californy, if you keep up with
that gal there aint nothing in this valley
too good for you" Now the floor OF the
house, like many others of that section,
was made of puocheons, split out from
the forest trees and laid On chestnut or
wild locust sleepers, and consequently
quite springy. Chairs in Rabun county
then were not as plentiful as they now
are in Atlanta, and it was not an unpop.
ular custom for two of the young peo-
pie to sit on the same chair together and
in dance, frequently couple would oc'
cupy the floor, especially in q break
down.
had been challenged by the belle of
the valley to single combat and knew |
was in for it, but had fully determined to
be on hand when she got through. l
led Miss Mary d. e few turns up and
down the hall, stopped in the center
where we made orr bows, forwarded and
back, swung corners and circled all,
crossed over and back, then the fun COM
menced. Imade pass and she croquet-
ted, I cornered and she chased, shut.
fled and she sidewized, pigeon-winged
and she wire toed, I double shuffled and
she gave the toe whiz, l gave a jim crow
lick aud she kill krankled, I struck
break down and she hit the hurricane, l
went into & Jig and she jiggareee, and Tor
ever lead I'd make she would call me
and 60 one better; now and then we'd
change sides and cross back into another
breakdown, aud it WAS 60 it Miss Mary,
hurry Californy, and Jack Bradley
seemed to have got the inspiration on
"Rye Straw" Major Gibson beat the
fiddle strings with straws, one fellow
beat triangle, several were patting and
every gal was keeping time oa the floor
with her feet, and the heads all around
the room were bobbiog up and down
With the spring Of the elastic floor. Now
aud then some chap would sing out, "go
it frolic, ye. dsdy's rich and no poor kin. :"
"hurry Miss Mary, come down to it Cali
forny," and we were both doing our
very level best. Miss Mary wss pic
ture-to say she looked thing of life
would be but feeble and emaciated ex.