The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-06-17
FORTY-NINER'S DANCES.


A Massachusetts, woman recalls he1
fathers story of a ball in California SO
years ago, for which preparations were
begun some two weeks before the ap-
pointed day.
AS women were not o~ver-abundant in
the mines at that time, everythingw with
in a circuit of 100 miles wearing petit
coats was invited. The company began
to assemble soon after the noon dinner,
and by four o'clock quite a crowd had
! gotten together.
The first thing in order was supper, at
which the women were all ranged on
one side of the table and the men on
the other.
1t is almost impossible to describe the
dress of the ladies'. but suffice to say,
everyone of them had on some sort OF
a garment: and. TO give TO their corl-
pleXions 4 delicacv which "circrm-
stances beyond their control" had de-
MED them. Il free use of flour was re-
sorted to, but il was 50 bunClin"ly and
injudicious!y put on that the effect was
far from pleasing to the eye Of 4 man of
taste.
The women generally wore shoes OF
some kind. but stockings Were Of no ac-
count to them.
Supper over. the company repaired to
4 large tent. where dancing. or what
was called such-commenccd. but such
kicking and sDrawling never before in
al INV lie witnessed. The tent had no
floor. and not n drop of rain had fallen
for five months TO moisten the earth,
and such 4 dust rs was raised can bet
ter be imagined than described.
The night WIS Il VERY warn n ard
this. together with the almost super
human exer.ion Of the ladies to excel
in jumping, kicking and whirlin~. OF
course caused their perspiration to flow
freely. running down their faces in
streams, washing out great gullies in
the -four which were SCOT filed up with
the flying dust: but this was of no sort
of consequence TO them so long as they
were having Il good time.
The captain, my companion. desiring
to make 4 favorable impression On one
of the fair daughters of Missouri, who
was to be n the ball (all the ONE
present were border Missouriansl.
ri"Ted himself up in his very best. and
We started off early in the morning and
rode a distance Of - miles on horseback.
The captains wardrobe. all told. con-
sisted OF an old straw hat. Il hIuc fan
mel shirt. very much the worse for wear.
apairo Of r~antaloons minus "seat." and
only part of II leg. and a pair of boots.
The absence OF a whole LEG to his pants
WAS easily gotten over by putting what
remained OF that one. and the other. in
side the legs of his boots, but the other
difficulty r~Izzlcd him not a little.
After dcvi>ing various WAYS, an idea
strUcl, lin which he speedily carried
into execution. and that was to wear
his blue shirt outside.
The cape was short and the shirt hap
pcned to be very long. - that it would
have mattcred very li;;Ie if he rad Lett
what he hcH Of his pants 1T home. ex-
cept the liability OF his having peer
mistaken fJroErof the ladies'.
In this to@~ery Lr WIS the observed
of all Observers" though his costume
faVor@hir compared with that III some
CT the others present. Not Il man wore
Il coat and 4 majority had barefoot.
Finding . StTnu" competitor for the
affections of his i~naElorata in 4 man
present who had 4 white shirt-white
shirts then in the mines. fer this was in
i>5'. w2re considered a luxury not to
be inGu'-od in by any except Gistin-
@uishai p~crSons-the captain. more in
grief than in anger" insisted on lcav-
ing 1t an early hour. and thus ended
our first ball in California.-Eoston
Globe.