The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-02-16

| mopping left the platform and scattered
among the audience.
William Larkers eyes were aglow with
excitement. The opportunity of his life
had come He was TO dance to real music,
with ren. flesh and blood partner, after
all those S.ars of secret practice with a
wheat sheAf In the seclusion of his fathers
barn. He would put his arms around
Mary kuchenbach, feat for the accom-.
plishinent OF which nc had probably longed
more than the other While his compan
ion, seated upon tho stump, gazed curl
ously, timidly, at the gay crowd around
her he, his hands thrust deep in his pock-
ets, stood frigidly before her, mentally
picturing the pleasure to come.
His feet could hardly keep still when q
purely imaginary air floated through his
brain, and he fanuIed himself ''dozy-
doughing'' and 'goin a yisitin' with the
rosy girl beside him.
The man with the bass vIol begnn to
rub rosin OH his bow, the violinist was
tuning up and the cornctist giving the
stops of his instrument the usual prelinni-
nary practice, when the floor master an
nounced the next dance One after an
other tho couples siitcd from the crowd
and clambercd upon the platform.
Two more couple" cried the conduct
or.
Come long, Mary. Now's cur chance, 4"
whispered the young Dunkard to his com
panion.
"Oh, B,e-e-ll, really can't I never
danced in puberlck atore.
But yOu kin. Et amt hard. All
yer'll hey ter do is ter keep yer feet u mov
in an do what the felar that's callin fig
gers says"
Tho girl hestatsd. .- 49,. ..
'One more couple" roared the floor
master.
William was getting excited.
You Kin dance with the best nv 'eIn.
Come along
Really no. I'm too narvous. Jesi
wait" ...
Tho twang of the fiddle commenced
the cracked, quayering notes Of the horn
arose above tho buzz of conversation.
Bow yer pHrtners--corners, cried the
loader. And the young man sat down OH
the stump in disgust.
"Woll hev ter git In the next, " he said.
"Why, it's dead easy Yer see, this ere's
only plain quadre-ll. louso orter see
one ct ain't plain One Of them whcrt
they has sich figgers ez first lady on til,
wardanco,' like they done at the big
weddin Up at Bunkertown three years ago.
meself, but I've seen 'ein do it, an I've
BON practicin. All you'll hev ter do is
mind me F"
And so the following dance found the
pairo tho platform among the first, the
girl trembling, blushing and self con
scious, the young man self conscious, but
triumphant and composed,
Bow yer partners cried the floor mas
ter when the orchestra had started its
scraping.
Down went the gray pokebonnet down
went the great derby, and smile Of jo!
oyorspread the broad face beneath 1t.
Swing yer partnersl'' ......
Tho great arms went around the plump
form, lifting it of its feet. Their owner
spun round, carefully replaced his burden
on tho floor, bowed, smiled and whispered
"Ain't ct grand?"
"Cornors.'
The young woman In blue satin gave 8
slight scream that was metamorplosed
into n 9iggle as she felt herself swung
through space in the arms of the muscu.
lar person toward whom she had careened.
Her partner, one OF the young city men
with a high silk hat, gInnud and whs
pcred in her ear. 'Oat cake.
Leads for'ad an backl'
William Iarker seized his partners S
pump hanu ana bounded forward, bow
ing and twisting, his free arm gesticuat
ing in unison with his legs and feet. He
was in II now, in the thick OF the dance,
In it with his whole heart. Whenever
there was any dozy doughing" to be done
William was there. II couple went Wis
itin, +" he was with them. Wien Ladies
In the center!" was called, ho was there
In every grand chain" lie turned the
wrong way. He gripred the ladies hands
until they inwurdly groanod; ho trampcd
on and crushed the patent leather pumps
of the young city man, and in response to
a muttered something smiled his uncan
cern, bolted back to his corner and swung
his partner and whispered, "Ain't it
grand Tho young women gigged facet
ously, and winked at their acquaintance
in the next st, the forward youth IN tho
bicycle costume talked about road sweep
ers, and the city young man said, oat
cake"
But tho young Dunkard was uncon-
sciuus of it all TO the end--thH end that
came NEST suddenly and broke up the
dancing,
Swing yer partners!" bawled the floor
master
William Larker oheyed. a ragged bit of
the sole of his shoe, worn thraugh lay seuf
fiinp r"r''.' n"h over ho went,
.,s So