The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-04
w.
oossIPING ,HuMBUGs AND THE
QUILTIN' BEE.
(Contfnued.)

(Contfnued.)
After the men folks had all come, we
set on the bean supper and charged them
ten cents apiece, the proceeds TO be used
for missions. federation said that wouldn't
pay for the pork. it's so everlasting high
jest now, but we did real we'll and made
quite lot OF money, for as most of
the young folks for miles around had
come, there was a lot of them TO feed, and
they seemed to have a dreaful good
time.
After the supper was over nothing to
do but they must all go out 10 the new
cattle barn and christen IT by husking
some corn, and so on, and as Joathan
and the girls had hung up lanterns here
and there so that therd be plenty Of light.
the young folks started and began 10
gather around the corn shocks and enjoy
themselves singing songs. and laughing
and telling stories, and suppose every
time a girl husked out red ear IL made
lots OF sport as IL generally does. Wel'
Parson Holden had 10 go away early TO
Hampton Hill TO perform wedding cere-
mony and as soon as he'd gone some or
the bows went over TO Thomas Hatch's
his fiddle and play for them, so he did.
He's one of the old-fashioned kind OF
players, always akeepin' time with his
right foot I'm such way as TO make II
kind OF interesting to watch him ma
noeuvre. Well. he hadn't played but
few pieces before there was delegation
OF the young folks who came over 10 the
house and asked federation II they
couldn't dance a little. Some OF the church
members heard them and they held up
their hands in perfect horror at the idea
of a social gathering OF the church peo-
pie winding up the day with dance In
the barn. Why. they thought IL was dis
grace. and more'n all that they believed
1t would call down upon the heads the
condemnatio Of the Almighty!
Just as your mother says, as ne al
dressed Jonathan "If she says yes, why
go in and have n good time"
Well II the church folks hadn't talked
so foolish like, more'n likely I'd thought
so myself, but hearing them go on 80. IL
made me kinder stirred up asin'. and az
ter thinkin' IL ell over couldn't see
where there'd be any harm In ~, SO
SAYS TO them
aIf 7 remember correctly, there are
dreadful few OF the ladies here present
who didn't do a lot of dancin at the age
OF these young people, and you used 10
drive of miles and miles OF winter nights
Just to hear Gurdon Cady prompt and to
step to the music Of the dance. And you
used to have real good times. so you said.
for I was most always there and so was
federation We can remember dreadful
we'll how happy you all used to be when
He'd sing out his famous Sasha out and
form a line all hands around' Now. you
want to rob the young folks OF an hours
innocent pleasure, Just because the word
dancin has become offensive to you by
,at QS
be so old you can't enjoy II any more
yourselves 'Tain't half so bad as tbs to
try to cut down the minister's salary
when the Lord knows he's not getting
enough now 10 live on, and TO be guilty or
putting only one cent into the contribu-
tion box. And then it's my opinion that
there's more sin created from gossipin
among real good church members about
dne another in our town, than comes
from all of the country dances in the
county"
I"But times have changed" says Mrs
Hawkins. "since we were girls. There
wasn't so much wickedness In those
days"
i"Of course they're changed" says l.
''but the change is for the better, for
kirls that think anything of themselves
riow-a days won't go to hrcmen's and po-
Itcemen,s balls as they us 20 when we
were young where anything and every
body used 10 mingle together, no matter
whether they knew each other or not
Now. the young folks are as particular
Where they go TO dance as they are the
Mind OF society they keep In other ways.
There isn't any sin In dancin' any more
than there Is in listening to band OF
music not mite. but the churches are
making a great bugbear out OF IL, and the
more they cry out against II the more II
seems TO improve in quality and tone
Bad associations develop evil anywhere.
but they are not all tied UP 20 dancing
Didn't David enjoy seeing folks dancer
And haven't folks danced down through
the ages while mans condition has been
Improving all tho timer OF course they
haver'
Then Jonathan spoke up and says.