The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1903-07-18
Continued.)

, renewed their attack the next morn
ing, but without avail.
''I'm too rusty" Rossiter plead al
: an excuse. II should be treading OF
: everyone's toes!"
1t CHANGED that afternoon that Mist
Merton had left the yard for 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 diff
ferent light.
II will do what l cam" said Ros-
sitter simply. 81 didn't quite under
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 musi-
clans, and seats placed for the
dancers when they were not on the
floor. Before eight o'clock the music,
two fiddlers and 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 rustcs. Several
men would occasionally launch into
sort of 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"
and whirled them with gay abandon.
Though the attire of the men was
in the extreme, that
OF the women was as extraordinary
as it was varied. Bright colors pre-
and not few of the
would have been likely
20 aff1ict the artists eye with an
icute optical disturbance.
The leader of the orchestra, if it
oe permissible thus to dignity the
music, especially entertained Rossi-
er His black hair and whiskers G
lad evidently been elaborated for !;
he occasion, and shdne with a lus- =
er which was Enthusiastically oily.
lie handled his bow with an exagger- :
ted ease and called the changes with "
delicious gusto. One particular
hange in the quadrille appeared to v
e great favorite with him. and he h
ways preluded it with grand Z
weep across the violin strings. His 7
dice gathered more than common
and he broke into some
hing like tune: II
First, lady balance to the right q
and gent, with the right-hand round, Il
lie right-hand round, the right-hand s.
ound; balance to the next with the 8,
finland round; lady in the center D
nd seven hands round. Albanian Z,
} your partnersl" And with what OF
magnificent flourish came the d,
ose! j.
There were no waltzes or galops, d,
ut the lancers followed the Vir-
mia reel, and the money-musk the es
ladrille. By and by, when there
as lull in the music, Jack Parme- tn
e sought ROssiter, and presently
e whilom vagabond found himself
latting to pleasant-faced maiden WI
no called Hintonville her home, and N
EN-, ere he realized It, he was br
ION the floor dancing 1t came to fe
m naturally, and when there was fiji
general change to bar of waltz br
were engaged in nc
adrille-and the others waltzed. he re
flowed suit, with his vis-a-vis, who SO
anced to be Miss Merton. tn
You must let me thank you," she ta
id. "And to think that you tried of
make out that you were rusty! tn
by, one would imagine you did be
thing but trip the light fantas- fa
y" on
If it's true that men are deceiv- SCI
) ever" he returned, women are
-tainly flatterers ever" ly
)nce the ice was broken, Rossiter ha
ioyed himself thoroughly. Miss att
rton's friends apparently ignored Tw
rough garb, and after a little tin
himself in large measure for ha
it. Joe Becraft occasionally OBJ an
we'd him with mingled admira- Tn
n and wonder, and so the evening fit
re ON. life
eleven and midnight re- Wis
shments were served-new cider of
some of Mrs. Merton's unap- the
doughnuts. While the res
'ast was in progress Rossiter man
ID to absent himself, though when -
music struck up heiw again on =,
I'd to be chidden by Miss Mer- W.
for running away. He had danced
&c With Miss Densmore, and now
tured TO ask heflto favor hini for
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