The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-18
Ouiets a Baby.

Quiets q Baby.
At another farmhouse the candidate
found the good wife struggling with
her household duties and fretful
baby at the same time. The Judge
said good morning" and then went
to the babys crib, where he looked
the little mite over. Then he "cooed"
softly few times and the baby stared,
stopped crying and became Interested.
Then it smiled and the Judge cocoa
some more. In little while the baby
went to sleep and the judge set about
making himself otherwise useful. He
made the best hired girl in the neigh
borhood look like 80 cents, as the
woman Of the house testified in con-
versation with neighbor next day.
When the farmer at this place got
home his surprise at the excellence
OF the meal, the neatness Of the house,
and, above all; the quietness of the
baby was beyond expression. When
told that it was the judge who did it
he could scarce restrain his enthu-
siasm. He went to the store that
night and told all about it, and there
were three cheers for the judge, who
pulls off exactly II votes on the baby
deal.
Fiddles for Dancing.
AS a sort of variant or diversion
from these solid efforts Judge Holt
maintains that there is nothing to
equal little good spirited country
dancing. In these parts dances are
easily arranged. Any farm house
is good dancing hall, all that is
wanted being the dancers and the mu-
sic. The latter are always on hand
or not far away, and can be quickly
Ibid" to dance. AS to the music
things are not so easy. 1t is not ev-
cry man who plays a fiddle to suit
the fastidious tastes Of your West
Virginia youth. No more critical au-
diences live anywhere-for in dane
ing they want music to dance by,
with not too many variations-just
good, reliable music that anyone can
hear and follow. And right there is
where Judge Holt excels. He has a
fiddle that was made by a blind fiddle
maker, the notes of which can be dis
tinctly heard in the biggest barn or
house in the country. What Is more,
unlike some fiddles the judges has it's
notes all distinct, so that when he
plays one you are bound to know just
which it is. Well, one night, some
body said dance in the. judges hear
ing, a young fellow it was, by the
way talking to his girl. They lament
ed the fact that there was no fiddle,
about. There was.
Tho Judges Chance.
Going to the barn where he had
left his bags and blankets. the Judge
unwound coil from about the fiddle
case and returned to the house. There
he began tuning up" while every
one present was silent with astonish-
ment In little while such tunes
began coming from that fiddle as had
never been heard in those parts be-
fore. Hoedowns, Virginia reels, polk
as, two-steps, all set the air to jing-
ling.
Such dancing as there was that night
had never been known in the neigh
borAood. Couple after couple, attract-
ed by some mysterious mesmerism.
arrived and entered the whirlinx.
dreamy maze. Hour after hour, dance
after dance the Judge played, only
stopping now and again to give the
dancers a rest. or to put little rosin
on his bow. or to drink glass OF
cider. Daylight was breaking before
the dancing ceased, and the Judge.
never needing the loss Of sleep, went
on his journey.
Many Votes Ahead.
But his fame as fiddler somehow
travelled faster than he did. Wher-
ever he went they asked him to play.
and he never refused them. Big ana
little. young and old. stout and lean,
have danced to his music. Already
they talk Of him as the Governor"
It has been thus daily for weeks,
in which Judge Holt has ridden
thousand miles oyer the rough noun
tain roads. Dumplings, babies and
all these three have brought
,im rsnown. But the adding has
- y