Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-02-15

cans of fruit, bags of sandwiches, bot
ties of cold tea, and the scores of other
dainties necessary to pass pleasan9
day with nature. They went through
another circle of peanut, watermelon,
lemonade and ice-cream venders,
about which were grouped many ell
derly men discussing the topics of the
day and exchanging greetings, and at
length arrived at the centre of inter-
est, the dancing platform. The young
Dunkards joined the crowd, which
was watching the course of the dance
with eager interest.
An orchestra of three pieces, a bass
viol, violin and cornet, operated
by three men i'll shirt sleeves, sent
forth wheezy strains to the time OF
which men and women, young, old and
middle-aged, gayly swung corners and
partners, galloped forward and back,
made ladies' chains and gentlemen s
chains, winding in and out and then
back and bowing until William Larker
and his companion fairly grew dizzy.
The crowd of dancers was hetero-
geneous one.
There were young men from the
neighboring county town, gorgeous in
blazers of variegated colors; there
were young farmers whose movements
were not in the least impeded by the
sombre, heavy clothing, or the high
crowned. broad-rimmed hats that they
wore; there were a few particularly
forward youths in bicycle attire, and
three gay young men from the neigh
boring city of Harrisburg, whose
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 aud gingham
bobbed about among shining, frigid
satins and silks as modest as their
owners in demeanor. Now in appar-
emily inextricable chaos; now in per-
fectly orderly form-six sets; now
winding into dazzling mass of silk,
calico, high silk hats and blazers, then
out again went the dancers.
ooh, amt ct grand !" exclaimed Mary
Kuchenbach, clasping her hands.
"Thet's good dancin', I tell yer"
her companion replied, enthusiastic
cally.
She had seated herself upon stump,
and ne was leaning against tree a
few feet away.
| "Good dancin'. Jest look at them
three ceety fellers, with their high
shiny hats, swingin' corners. Now
ant they cuttin it? Next comes "a
la-man all. Jest watch 'em-them two
in tn fur set, tn way they throw their
feet-th' gal In pink with TIL feller in
short pants and striped coat. Now
back. Thet there's dancin, tell yer.
Mary. Gents dozey-dough next.
Thet ere feller don't call figgers 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 there's
break. See thet girl in blue sating
she's turned too soon. Thet's bet
ter-tother way-bow yer corners
now yer own. All over"
The music stopped and the dancers,
painting from their exertions, tanning
and mopping, left the platform and
scattered among the audience.
William Larker's eyes were aglow
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 foated
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 l can't. I never
danced in puberlick afore."
''But yon kin. Et amt hard. All
yer'll hev ter do is ter keep yer feet
a-movin' an do what the fellar that &
calm fggers says"
The gil hesitated.
s'One 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
sold ssWbx ;t,o 1aoJ ,c.,, W. roo