The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-01

His collar hung in feStoonS, a blue
check-bordered handkerchief fell in
graceful, raksh folds down his back.
With naughty mien he stood aloft,
serene and grand above the shutting
throng. In his exalted mightiness he
seemed being to be admired, for
happy hundreds moved on the instant
of his bidding, and in precise accord
ance with his stentorian commands.
Gladly they obeyed, for this parsonage
was dance caller. To the crowd be-
low his mind seemed completely alb
sorbed in following their movements,
but his thoughts were far away.
Mechanically he roared his lines, for
he was an old hand at the game, and
he was thinking deeply thinking.
What occupied his mind amid this
scene Of reyelry?
Off in the misty depths of his imagi-
nation there arose a vision, which even
the tara tediddle-d of the mourn
ful-faced orchestra failed to dispel.
He was pondering on the possibili-
ties of a dance callers union.
A PiecemeaI Interview.
It was an oppeftune moment to in
terrupt him with mention of the sub
ject closest to his heart.
'"Gra-a-and right and left" he yelled
for a brief time killer, and then turn
ed to his inquisitor.
"You bet your life were tired of
| this beating around and not knowing
where we're at. You see we've got to
have a union, because-salute-
"A-a-allymand left-We want to
show these people that they can't
| monkey with us
Balance to corners-as I said, it's
this way
First couple lead to the right-we're
just batted- around now and never
know where job
''Sling your partners-is going to be
open for one of us, or whether some
piker is going to cut in and
"All tWo-step half around-cop out
the coin on the side. You see there's
generally some guy in an orchestra
who can call off
"Sling your partners-and he don't
mind tearing off a dollar or two be-
sides saving his fiddle
Second couple lead to the right
That's rough on us, because 1t KNOCKS
our game
Balance -allymand left
what we want is to get organized and
tie up to the Federation of Musicians
or the
"Gr-a-and right and left-Federation
of Labor, or some old kind of a fedora
ton. Guess I'll give them few fancy
ones now-all two-step half around
you see, this bunch here is next to
them-cut out that ragged glide-once
more-don't clinch-swing your part
ners-break away-swing again-back
to your cornerS-promena- a-ade!" 81
Continued in Bar Room.
While the walters got busy among
the perspiring, chattering decorators
of the art of Terpsichore, the caller
willingly followed his visitor to the
little room where the floor is slippery
and they come faster. There, with
the refreshing incentive of few sam
pies of the product Of modern chemis-
try he warmed, or rather cooled, to
his subject, and delivered the remain
der Of his oft-attempted discourse.
"There are twenty of us in st. Paul
who are kept pretty busy during the
winter dancing season and there are
enough blowout going on generally
to go around That is, if outsiders
would not insist in cutting in on our
graft.
"Ours is a profession just as much
as musicians is. The people who
give big dances need us and they're
glad to come to us most of the time.
But the trouble is we want them to
come to us all the time and not have US
to call on just when they feel like 1t
and cut us out If they happen to get
some guy who will do our work cheaper
on the side-like musician.
tits a pretty good side graft for a
bunch of musicians, you know, to con-
tract for caller along with their mu-
sic and pull out a little beer money
for the gang.
"Now, if we had union we could
fix regular price for a dance and
have union card, and no union nlu-
sician would dare to cut in on our
game.
Again, no outsider could go to call
ing with a union orchestra, because
he'd have to show his card to get on
the platform with them.
Are They Musicians?
"There are a lot of little things in the
business that need fixing up, too, and it