Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-05-20

S1A SelS, HOW Winning 1DIO Il udIZllUS
mass of silk, calico, high silk hats and
blazers, then out again went the dane
erS.
''Oh, amt ct grandr' exclaimed Mary
Kuchenbach, clasping her hands.
"Thet's good dancin', | tell YER" her
companion replied, enthusiastically.
She had seated herself upon stump
and he was leaning against a tree few
feet away.
''Good dancin'. Jest look at them
three ceety fellers, with them high shiny
hats, a 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 the teller in short pants
and a striped coat. Now back. Tibet
there's dancin', | tell yer, Mary. Gents
dozey-dough' next Tibet ERE Teller
don't call fggers loud enough. There
they gO-bad in the near set-thet's bet
in partners. Grand chain! Good all
'rOund-nO-there's a break. See tibet
girl in blue sating-she's turned too soon.
Thet's better-tother way-bow yer cor
ners-now yer own. All over"
The music stopped and the dancers,
painting from their eXertiOnS, tanning
and hopping, left the platform and scat
tered 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 a real flesh and blood part
ner, after all those years of secret prac-
tice with a wheat sheaf in the seclusiOn
of his fathers barn. He would put his
arms around Mary Kuchenbach, q feat
for the accomplishment 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
Al, Il cttn frjp dIXr
before her, mentally picturing the pleas
IRE 70 come.
His feet could hardly keep still when
q purely imaginary air foated through
his brain. and he fancied himself ''dozy-
doughing" and ''gOin' a yisitin . 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 giving the
stops of his instrument the usual prelim
mary practice, when the floor master an
nounced the next dance. One after an
other the couples sifted from the crowd
and clambered upon the platform
Two more couple" cried the conduc-
tor.
Come long, Mary Now's our
chanc'," whispered the young Dunkard
to his companion.
"Oh. B-e-el, really 1 can't. 1 never
danced in puberlick afore.'''
yer'll hev ter do is ter keep yer feet a
movin an do what the Teller that's
calm fggers says"
The girl hesitated.
"One more couple" roared the floor
master.
William was getting excited.
''You kin dance with tn best Nv 'em.
Come along"
Really, no. I'm too. nervous. Jest
watt
The twang of the fiddle commenced;
the cracked, Quavering notes of the horn
arose above the buzz of conversation.
Bow your partners, corners" cried
the leader. And the young man sat
down on the stump in disgust.
said. why. it's dead easy. Yer. see,
this 'eres only a plain quadre-ll Youse
them where they has sich fggers ez first
lady on tn war dance like they done
at the big weddin' up at Bunkertown
three years ago. These is plain. I've
never danced before meself, but I've
seen 'em do it, an I've ben practicin'.
All you'll hey ter do is mind me-
And so the following dance found the
pair on the platform among the first.
The girl trembling, blushing and self
conscious; the young man self-conscious,
but triumphant and composed.
Bow yer partners" cried the floor
master, when the orchestra had started
its Scraplng.
Down went the gray poke bonnet;
down went the great derby, and n smile
of JOY overspread the broad face be-
meath it.
''Swing yer partnersr'
The great arms went around the
plump form, lifting it off its feet; their
owner spun round, carefully replaced his
burden on the floor, bowed, smiled and
WhiSDoro0 "Ain't of grand ~
"COrnersr'
The young woman in blue satin gave
slight scream that was metamOrphOged
into glggle as she felt herself swung
through space in the arms Of the mus
cular person toward whom she had ca
reened. Her partner, one of the young
city men with high silk hat, grinned
and whispered in her ear "Oat cake
Leads fOr'a'd an backr'
William Larker seized his partners
plump hand and bounded forward, bow
ing and twisting, his free arm gesticulat-
was IN it now, in the thick of the dance;
IN 1T with his whole heart. Whenever
there was any dOZy-doughing to be done
William was there; ii IL couple went
.'visitin' . he was with them; when La
dies IN the CENTER" was called he was
there; in every "Grand chain he turned
the wrong way; he gripped the ladies'
hands until they inwardly groaned; he
tramped on and crushed the patent
leather pumps of the young city man,
and in response to a muttered something
smiled his unconcern, bolted back to his
corner and swung his partner. and whis-
pered, "Ain't ct grand?' The young
women giggled facetiousIy. and vinked
at their acquaintance in the next set:
the forward youth in the bicycle costume
talked about roadsweepers and the city
young man said, "Oat cake"
But the young Dunkard was uncon-
scious of it all to the end-the end that
came most suddenly and broke up the
dancing.
Swing yer partnersv' bawled the floor
master.
William Larker obeyed A ragged bit
of the sole of his shoe, worn through by
scutffing, caught in a crack and over he
went his partner, clasped tight in his
arms, off the high platform
There was blood on the big boulder
and cash in Williams scalp when he
was picked up a moment later and car
ried down to the spring. The doctors
poured water over him and bandaged
up his head and when he recovered his
senses he found himself the center of all
eyes.