Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-21
virginia Dances and Negro fiddling In oid
Kentucky and Elsewhere.
(For the Dispatch

For some years after George Rogers
Clark had founded the city Of Louisville
Il remained village or lOg-cabns hsh-
ponds. and "a stOckaded fort. hut Inc
Virginians who settled there were not
slow i'm introducing their old customs ah1
pleasures. Mr. nurrett, president ~
'.'rhe Fllson cub" gives us an amusing
illustration Of this in his Centenary dla-
course about the now hourishlng city at
the falls OF the Ohio.
In 11IS the settlers celebrated In the
fort their first Christmas in the wilderness
by what they called Il hOusewarming,
and every man, woman, and child TOOK
part I'm IT, Frenchman named Jean
Niclle happened TO be- there on his way
from Fort Pitt to kaskaskla, and at
t.mpted 10 supply the music for the dance,
but he was too dull and artistic for those
accustomed TO such a different ana more
INSPIRING style. and was soon supplanted
bv an old negro named Cato Watts, whose
fiddle gave them Virginia reels ana irish
jigs and such other tunes as they wanted.
Not discouraged. however, this French
man returned, and was the first teacher
OF dancing In Louisville. lie tried TO
Introduce a dance known in Paris and
Madrid as the Branle, the CHIEF merit
Of which was leaplng in circles; also the
Minuet, which required graceful bowling
,tt,d N.iklu-. ard Inr patHlr. in Whicn
the dancers strutted like pcacocks. But
in the Branle the boys INDUCED In leap
frog: in the Minuet the girls held their
linsey dresses out from their sides like
sails. skinned across the floor and bowed
their heads like geese lodging stones
thrown at them. and in the Pavane all
strutted and cried like peacOcks. Jean
Eickie in despair and disgust, said If
he Just had his hat he'd wish he was in
hell" He again yielded the fiddle TO cato,
who soon had himself and the dancers
In a paroxysm OF JOY. But In 1904 Cato
was hung for killing his master Though
he claimed that he did II by Academy,
much 10 the sorrow OF those who loved %
"trip the light fantastic" 10 his lively
music.
A good many dancers OF Spotsylvan.a
and Caroline counties were greatly put
out" by less serious cause. My grand
father had n shoemaker. Caesar. whose
fiddle enlivened many a gay. glad con-
pany, but he got religion sincerely
and would not play any more. But two
smart cOlored housegirls had caught
Caesars best tunes. and sometimes Sc,
the dancers In quite active motion by
singing them skilfully through combs
held IN their mouths. Suca nGc;ers a.
the SCOTS and the Romans. OF Char
lottesville; Walker. OF Goochland. and old
Archie and his son. OF King and Queen,
were known all through Virginia, and
felt whenever they played. III. when old
Archie was playing. he saw any tagging
on the part or the dancers. he gave a
sign OF his son, who played second fiddle.
and he would break out with his pecu-
liar and inimitable whoop, which put
new life and animation into every foot
thA In g.
ricksburg. that wonderful octave flute OF
old Blind Bill. whom the pea OF DR..
Bagby has immortalized. did tina whoop-
ing. or rather rendered any such expe-
dent wholly necessary.
Sixnor Carusi. from Washington city.
trained us quite we'll as 10 steps ard
figures just over tho place where "oid
Tommy" exercised US In Latin. Greek.
and mathematics. The girls were there
also. and they were beautiful. and nearly
su Of them dancad gracefully and sls-