The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-15


But the fiddler is an active man. He
conscientiously keeps time to his music
with vigorous stamping Of his foot.
and during the interludes between the
numbers he is seldom idle. At such
times his violin is either shrilly bewaIi-
ing his efforts to tune 'er up" or else
IT is mere tremendously tinkling TO his
picking of the strings. The repertoire
of these rural Mormon fiddlers is re
markable. ranging all the way from
the ancient Sailors Hornpipe" and
soldiers joy to the latest waltzes Of
Sousa or Herbert.
Late in the night. when the fiddler
tires OF his sitting. posture. he frequent
" relieves himself by abandoning his
table seat and continuing his playing
from the floor. around which he waltzes
with his violin for partner. his feet
keeping step to the tune which his fin
gers pick from the strings.
The caller out is always an important
person at a western dance. The one
who officiated at the last Mormon
dance that 1 attended was particularly
interesting. He had but one eye. He
! energeucally stamped and nodded time
10 the music, with both feet and his
4 head. while his single eve winked the
time for his calls. Keeping time to the
music, he interspersed between the
calls many remarks humorous and 9TH
erWlse, or else blended the calls with a
humming tune, always in one key
From his beginning of Bow ter Yer
partners. n-n-n-n, first four ford an
. back, n-n-n-n now ye got it ag'in cross
/ over tOther side. n-n-n-n don't git in
/ a hurry there. Bill, n-n-n-n the ladies
change, all through the different fig
/ ures to the last ''Promenade all Won
know where he kept up a continual
! tune OF calling, humming and remarks
The calls We're distinguishabIe from the
/ rest OF his tune by the louder tone in
/ which they were sung
While he is at it the caller out works,
harder than the fiddler, but he makes
up Tor 1t by working only half time.
! me usual rule is to alternate the even
/ ing enjoyment. a square dance always
following round one, and vice versa.
| Inc bishop always opens and closes
with prayer all dances that he attends
ms does not prevent him from being
one of the most active persons on the
floor, participating in as many num-
bers as any of the younger men. At
my last dance just referred to the bish-
Top and his wife danced the Home
! sweet Home waltz together Her
hand still rested on his arm and their
feet were hardly stilled after the con
GLIDING notes of the violin, when he
| raised his left hand, every head was
bowed. and with his well chosen sup
plicatiOn the dance was dismissed.
During the evening I several times
found the bishops wife to be a most
interesting pa fner, an excellent dan
Ger and gooc conversationalist The
prettiest, brightest and most INTELLECT
tual girl present was one OF the fortv-
two children of another bishop. I have
forgotten which one of the six wives
was her mother, but believe il was the
fifth.
One of the surprising things for a
| tenderfOot at these entertainments is
to observe the grace of some of the
dancers. The women may be attired IN
calico and be plain looking, and the
mems attire may be rough. from the
high-heeled boots to the blue flannel
shirt. but many of them will waltz or
dance the latest two-step as gracefully
as the participants in a Fifth avenue
ball.
The figures of the square dances are
much the same as those in vogue fifty
or Seventy-five years ago, and with
them are alternated the most fashion
able and up-to-date round dances.
The figures Of the square dances may