Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-10-23

game OF him? apparently not, for
she seemed wholly in earnest.
Certainly. she said in reply to his
exclamation. *You dance, do you
not?"
Rossiter was compelled to admit
that he had danced.
tsThen we shall feel very much
sighted if you do not dance now,
and If you neglect u.s." she added
won't we, Sylvia %
81 am sure Mr.. Rossiter is not ac-
-customed to slight his friends said
Miss Densmore.
'sBut I haven't danced in a number
of years, and" began Rossiter.
He had heard the gayeties of the
following night talked about among
number of the younger pickers-
Mamie Becraft was in twitter over
them-but the gossip had meant
nothing to him. He dance! 1t was
absurd. Not that he lacked skill in
the art. Once he had been consid-
cred the most accomplished, a part
ner who was welcomed by all whom
he sought, but that was in another
existence. He was surprised that
Miss Merton and her cousin proposed
IN
ings of the hop-dance, but evidently
the two girls were bent on a lark,
and Miriam was doubtless eager to
show Miss Densmore all the phases
of the hop-harvest.
'You haven't completed your SEN
tence," said Miss Merton. "That
and does not mean because you
haven't danced in some time you
won't dance now. I hope"
The pole-puller glanced down at
his clumsy shoes and at his attire.
people don't wear their fnery at
hop-dances," said Miss Merton.
And yet Rossiter would not prom
Use. Much as he knew the pleasure
would be to him, this more intimate
and friendly association with the two
cousins, he had a feeling that their
gratitude prompted them to urge
him, and, moreover, he shrank from
meeting, in his coarse garb, Miss Mer-
tons Hintonville friends. The girls
renewed their attack the next morn
ing, but without avail.
I'm too rusty" Rossiter plead as
an excuse. ST should be treading on
everyone's toes."
It CHANGED that afternoon that Miss
Merton had left the yard for a few
moments, and Miss Densmore was
picking alone. Rossiter was passing,
and she called to him.
My cousin is sadly put out" she
said, because you are so obstinate.
She is very anxious, as you must
have seen, TO arrange a set by our
selves. There are three men and two
girls coming from Hintonville, and
Jack CHATS Mr.. Parmelee, you
know can't dance all the time, for
he's got everything to look after.
Don't you realize how much you
could help out if you only would?"
This put the matter in quite a diff
ferent light.
81 will do what can," said Ros-
stand.''
''Thank you." and her smile car
ried more real joy to him than any
thing he had experienced, it seemed
to him. since he could recall.
Evening came. and all preparations
for the gayeties had been made. The
floor of the large hop-house had been
cleared and the room lighted with
lamps and lanterns. About the walls
festoons of hops had been hung, a
small platform erected for the must
clans, and seats placed for the
dancers when they were not on the
floor. Before eight o'clock the music,
two fddlers and a celloist, arrived,
and soon the pickers from two or
three adjacent farms drove up in
large hop-wagons. Then shortly Miss
Merton's little party from Hinton
vile appeared, and by half-past eight
the dancing was in full swing.
Rossiter did not join in the merri-
ment at the outset, but stood in the
background near the door watching.
with not little amusement, the an
tics of some of the rustics. Several
men would occasionally launch into
sort of a breakdown, and the sound
of their energetic efforts, usually in
excellent time,, would be heard above
the combined shuttle of all other feet
and the rise and dip of the music.
Swans grasped the waists of their
dulcineas, as they Swung partners u
and whirled them with gay abandon
Though the attire of the men was
commonplace in the extreme, that
of the women was as extraordinary
as it was varied. Bright colors pre-
dominated, and not a few of the
combinations would have been likely
to affiict the artists eye with an
acute optical disturbance.
The leader of the orchestra, if il
be permissible thus to dignity the
music, especially entertained Rossi-
ter. His black hair and whiskers
had evidently been elaborated fol
the occasion, and shone with a lus
ter which was Enthusiastically oily
He handled his bow with an exagger
ated ease and called the changes with
| a delicious gusto. One particular