Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-01-26

DoTiub Clby VI ldrrlHDurR, Wnobo
shining high silk hats and dancing
pumps made them the envy OF their
more rustic companions. The women,
likewise, in beauty and dress, went
to both extremes. Gayly lowered,
airy calico, cashmere and gingham
bobbed about among shining, frigid
satins and silks as modest ms their
owners in demeanor. Now in appar.
emily inextricable chaos; now in per.
fectly orderly form-six sets; now
winding into a dazzling mass Of silk,
calico, high silk hats and blazers, then
out again went the dancers
ooh, ant ct grand!" exclaimed Mary
Kuchenbach, clasping her hands,
"Thet's good dancin', | tell yer"
her companion replied, enthusiast
cally.
She had seated herself upon stump,
and he was leaning against tree n
few feet away.
"Good dancin'. Jest look at them
three ceety fellers, with their high
shiny hats, a swingin' corners, Now
ant they cuttin' it? Next comes "a
lamar all, Jest watch em-them two
in tn fur set, tn way they throw their
feet-th' gal In pink with til Teller i'll
short pants and striped cont. Now
back. Thet there's dancin', | tell yer,
Mary. Gents dozey-dough' next.
Thet ere Teller don't call tiggers loud
enough. There they go-bad in the
near set-thet's better. See them ceety
fellers agin-swingin' partners Grand
chain Good all 'round-no-there's
break, See tibet girl in blue sating
she's turned too soon. Thet's bet
ter-tother way-bow yer corners
nowyer own. All over"
The music stopped and the dancers,
painting from their exertions, tanning
and hopping, left the platform and
scattered among the audience.
William Larker's eyes we're agIow
with excitement. The opportunity Of
his life had come. He was to dance
to real music, with real flesh and
blood partner, after all those years of
secret practice with wheat sheaf in
the seclusion Of his fathers barn. He
would put his arms around Mary
Kuchenbach, feat for the accom-.
plishment of which he had probably
longed more than the other, While
his companion, seated upon the stump,
gazed curiously, timidly, at the gay
crowd around her, he, his hands thrust
deep in his pockets, stood frigidly be.
fore her, mentally picturing the pleas
ure to come.
His feet could hardly keep still
when purely imaginary air hoated
through his brain, and he fancied
himself "dozy-doughing" and "goin'
a visitin'" with the rosy girl beside
him.
The man with the bass viol began
to rub resin on his bow; the violinist
was tuning up and the cornetist Civ
ing the stops of his instrument the
usual preliminary practice, when the
floor manager announced the next
dance. One after another the couples
sifted from the crowd AMI clambered
upon the platform.
"Two more couple" cried the con-
ductor.
"Come long, Mary, Now's our
chanc'," whispered the young Dunk
ard to his companion.
ooh, B-e.el, really can't. ] never
danced in puberlick afore."
"But You kin. Et amt hard. All
yer'll hev ter do is ter keep yer feet
a-movin' an do what the fellar that s
calm fggers says
The gil hesitated.
zone more couple !" roared the
floor master.
"You kin dance with tn best nv
'em. Come along"
"Really, no. I'm too narvous. Jest
wait"
The 'twang of the fiddle com.
menced; the cracked, quavering notes
of the horn arose above the buzz OF
conversation.
"Bow yer partners-corners," cried
the leader. And the young man sat
down on the stump in disgust,
We'll hev ter git in tn next" he
said. "Why it's dead easy. Yer see,
this 'eres only plain quadre.ll.
Youse orteo see one 'et amt plain.
One of them where they had such fig
gers ez first lady on tn war dance,
like they done at the big weddin' VI
at Bunkertown three years ago. These
is plain. I've never danced before
meself, but I've seen 'em do 1t, an I've
ben practlcin'. All you'll hev ter dc
is mind me-"
And so the following dance founC
the pair on the platform among the
first. The girl trembling, blushine
and self-conscious; the young mar
self-conscious, but triumphant ant
composed.
''Bow yer partners, cried the floor
master, when the orchestra had start
ed its scraping.
Down went the gray poke bonnet
down went the great derby, and I
smile of joy overspread the broad face
beneath it.
Swing yer partners!'
The great arms went around the
plump form, lifting it off its feet
their owner spun round, carefully re
placed his burden on the floor, bowed
smiled and whispered, Amt e
grand?'
Corners! |"
The young woman in blue SAITH
gave a slight scream that was meta
morphosed into giggle as she fell
herself swung through space in tn,
arms of the muscular person towar,
whom she had careened. Her partner
one of the young city men with hisl
silk hat, grlnned and whispered il
her ear, "Oat cake"
"Leads for'a'd an back !"
William Larker seized his partner
plump hand and bounded forward
bowling and twisting, his free arm ges
ticulating in unison with his legs an
feet. He was in it now, in the thicl
of the dance; in 1t with his Who'll
heart. Whenever there was any dozy
coughing to be done William VII