The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-11


spared 10 opportunity to produce that
effect. Her cheeks, too, had a frank
little way Of going pink-sometimes
red-when the allusion was direct
enough-and altogether her open ad
miration put fine gilt edge on his
self-esteem.
rs it possible you have never been
to San Francisco" he asked her, one
day.
mo. I've never been there" she adj
mitted, apoloSctically, but" she
hastened to add. in order to dispel any
idea Of rusticity that admission might
have given, I've been twice to Red
Bluff, and we live only nine miles from
Coon Creek"
Have you ever thought you might
like to live there:' he pursued, reach
ing up to pull down cut vine from the
pole. His glance was very direct this
time, and his tones full of meaning.
1t was pretty to see her eyes and
cheeks glow with 4 deeper hue, so in
could produce with the slightest touch.
He did not wait for an answer. but
went on. Wouldn't you like
But just then the Sacramento train
thundered by on the trestle. drowning
his words, but not the look in his eyes.
And on the the heels of that, the noon
bell rang. at which everybody quit
work. and they walked up to the set
tlement together in silcnce-little Mol
lies feet touching the ground only in
high places. her foolish little head
way up in the clouds, the mans
thoughts miles away from the scene
about him, and the hope Of his heart
centred on getting on the varsity foot
ball team.
By the end Of the season Miss Mel
lies social circle had narrowed down
to few more than her OWE family, and
one tall man. She had discovered her
tastes to be of the climbing variety,
and had reached the fatal conclusion
that not one Of her old friends at Coon
Creek possessed particle of culture
or style. And when, before dispensing
for another year, the pickers prepared
to give 4 grand ball in honor of the
wind-up Of the hop-season, Mollie de-
terlnined to show them the size Of the
gulf that now yawned between her.
self and them.
These hop-pickers' dances are open
to every one, so there are not many
lines Of social distinction drawn. The
men exchange their bandana neck
'kerchiefs for stiff celluloid collars, and
the girls wash out sprigged lawn
frock, and are radiant and ready for
the frolic. But Mollie, with a reck-
less slash into her summers earnings,
burst upon the scene, on the eventful
evening, an animated billow Of frills,
and founces, and furbelows.
AS the frolic progressed, the tall
fellow with his sombrero under his
arm, watched the scene from the door
way with an amused, wondering smile
The big dining room that seated 500
hungry pickers three times day had
been transformed in less than an hour
into q dancing hall. The tables had
been hoisted to the ceiling by stout
bale ropes, where they were secured to
the rafters, while the shelf that ran
the length of the room on both sides,
was studded at regular intervals with
empty bottles, into each Of which was
stuck tallow candle.
After the good old-fashioned custom,
Pinny Smith, with a girl in a yellow
frock, led off the grand march, after
which there We're polkas, quadrilles,
schottisches, and dances his town-bred
feet had forgotten, or never learned.
When his eye caught Mollie's, he
crossed the room to ask her for a
dance. From the opposite doorway
Spike had started toward her at the
same time. She held her fan-a gauzy,
1imsy thing that represented the price
of several long days picking. so she
might not seem to notice Spike-and
her breath in fear lest he should reach
her first. The fellow in the leggings
was so interested in his surroundings
he walked slowly, and Spike, she saw,
was gaining. In second he would be
within speaking range and all would
be lost. The next instant she rose to
her feet, turned her back on the crest
fallen Spike, and reached her hand
toward the tall fellow, approaching in
his leisurely, Indifferent manner.
When the accordion began to vail
out ''The Blue and the Gray" the man
found to his surprise this little back
woods beauty could dance. She didn't
hop, nor "scrape matches" nor stiffen
like a poker in his arms; she danced
with that 1.-the free grace with which
a bird flies, or fish swims. because it
was the natural expression Of her
bubbling, lightsome spirits.
But, all too soon the music was
stopped, and there was a mad stam-
pede for the counter, over which pink
lemonade and cookies were sold. The
leggined fellow, however, led the ra-
diant little girl out into the moonllSnt,
which had transformed the denuded
redwood hop-poles into endless colon
nades. Regardless Of her slippers and
hounces, everything but the dominat-
ing presence of the man beside her, she
strolled down the row on the rough
bare ground. When they regained the
ball room pro tem., the music had
struck into the long, swinging strains
of "Creole Bellies" Again they circled
round and round, never pausing for a
breath until the music stopped.
Happy little Mollie! This was her
brief hour of triumph, and she carried
it off with a high hand. Her Coon
Creek friends, who were not too
dazzled by her airs and graces, came
up as usual and asked her for dance,
but the next one was always engaged.
Nolan looked a moment longingly in
her direction when he caught the first
bar of The Honeysuckle and the Bee,"
but having heard of the treatment ac-
corded the other fellows, he turned
and consoled himself with the Hen