The Russellville Democrat., 1893-09-14


 barely recognized by the girls. It may have been caused by the defeat at the coon hunt, or it may have been because fsfolks were watchin to see how Bettie aud Julia would treat Jim and Sam" for they were regarded as Hsorter sweet on each other.
 It was decided to have dance that night, and they had it--a reg uIar good, old time dance. In this day and time it would be called a "break down" but 1t was good enough for us. The music was 'furnished'' by Dick Davis, and con . sisted of one 'sfddle. !" MT. Glenn gave him dollar for the first night s music and Mir. Conway gave him a s1 9 for making music the second 1 night.
 Some of the boys offered to ''chip in and help them bear the expense, but they both said that when they gave dance they gave it sure enough, and that music was part of 1t.
 In latter years we have heard bet ter music and more of it, but when ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise, and we were contented with such as we had. We have nodded and slept while listen ! ing to Gilmore with his full orches. tra, but under Dick Davis music we never grew tired nor sleepy. l The music started up and call for npartners for cotillion," but when the sets were full it was noticed that Jim and Sam were not "in it." They took Ia back seat, " were "wall flowers until near mid night, when they made up" with their girls, and from that time on Gall went merry as a marriage bell, " as Oscar DonneIly described it, un- til "daybreak" Gin those days we didn't say i've sma' hours" nor ntip the light fantastic toe" ). 1 Whether or not the boys paid the bet that night we could not know, as it was not made public, but next month there were two weddings in the neighborhood, and Mrs. Con- way and Mrs. Glenn were again en- gagged in spirit of friendly rivalry as to which could make the incest pumpkin pies, and the best tater custards, and the sweetest sweet cakes, for each was to re- ceive to her home her sons wife, and they were to let the young folks have another dance.
 | Meeting Oscar Donnelly day or two before the weddings and dances, he took me by the hand, saying "Come to the festal board tonight. 7
 We went.
 | After the wedding ceremony was over, which made Jim Curry and Bettie Conway partners for life, congratulations were offered with | the best wishes, in the best language we could command Shy glances, harmless jokes and pretty remarks were made toward the happy couple of the night, and the other couple that were to be made "one' on the following night. Julia Glenn and Sam Holder participated in the l fun, and laug he'd when some one said "It will be your time to morrow. "
 The supper over, the squire, who had come over to perform the cere- mony, and the old gentleman Con- way, retired. to the side-room. The table was taken out of the big room, the fiddler in one corner, and the dance began. The programme was l, cotiilion; 2, cotillion; 3, cotillion and so on during the night, with the exception that at midnight a good supper was spread for them. It being over, dancing continued until day. We had no round dance, and had any one offered to introduce a waltz in that community he would have been escorted out of the township on a rail.
 The next night nearly the same exercises were gone over. This time Sam Holder and Julia Glenn were married by the same Squire Finley, and as good supper as the night before. The festivities were about the same. The same congratula- tions and the same wishes of joy were gone over as at the night before. We all wore homemade pants, tucked inside of our boots, while the girls wore home made dresses, and most of them their own make, except the two brides, who had on store clothes.
 Happy recollections of our young CT days. We had hard times, but but we knew not of them. Our wants were few and easily satisfied. Gay, theughtless and contented, we laughed, talked and danced the hours away until daybreak, then we took our girls home, ate breakfast and were ready for days hard work. We enjoyed ourselves as we have never done since.
 But pardon the Aggression, we love to dwell on these happy by gone days when pleasure ruled the hour Yes, those were happy days, but the war soon came on and Jim and Sam yielded to the call for vol unteers, accompanied by a drum, fife and brass horn. So they bade farewell to their rosy. checked wives and went in the army.