The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-24

/ Everybody at the motel was pIannIns
to go to the dance for the Divide wa.
| only ten miles distant; So every cart
| spring wagon and blackboard wa:
hauled out the shed, creased and pu
in order for the trip. AS the people
came to these dances from 20 miles
around, the trip had to be accom-.
p1ished in daylight, SO the entertain.
ment began when the sun went doWI
and lasted until it arose again Conse-
quently, in order to give the dancers
and musicians an occasional rest, the
programme was interspersed with
songs and Rotations.
On this occasion the notices posted
a. the surrounding post Offices an
nouned that the weIl-knoWn Billy
Winks twins, Ruby and Pear1y, were
Io speak a dialogue; that Dick Van
Eorn would give selection of coon
songs with a cork accompaniment
and that Miss Eloise Adelaide Smythe
would render the balcony scene from
Romeo and Juliet.
The herders and ranchmen Of the
vicinity, who pulled up their horses
and threw on their brakes to gossip
over the coming event, hailed with
pleasure the prospect of hearing the
twins and Van Horn in their respective
specia1ties, but all were "dinged if
they knowed who t'other one was, =
until by dint of much canvassing and
caucusing the identity of Eloise AIDE
laide was sifted down to Lou-s.little
Lucy Smith, old Tom Smiths little
girl'-then with a meaning twinkle
been away to school, haw, haW!'
But it was not Lou, nor Lucy, nor
even Miss Louise who appeared at the
dance escorted by the dignified cash
Icy, but in very truth Eloise Adelaide
who tioated in Shakespearean state
across the floor to the place of honor
reserved for the performers To the
toWn-bred eyes of the visitors the
scene was not of such Importance as
it appeared to the ambitious Juliet pro
tenn. And strange as it might have
seemed to her. it had humorous side.
Each man, as he paid his admission
fee, was decorated with a red badge
of courage to exonerate him from be-
ing dunned a second time, and as the
floor filled, a more motley assemblage
would have been hard to find. There
We're trim, shirt-Walst suits worn by
the town women, limp fineTy worn by
the native bellies. khaki suits, knicker-.
bockers, and tWeeds worn by the men
everything, in fact, Whirled across the
floor but the accepted dancing garb-
always excepting the flowing robes Of
the Lady Juliet
However, in the eyes of the town
people this occasion was also of mo-
ment, for sits almost too much OF
good thing to have a country dance"
the barrister in khaki confided to the
cashier in knickers, "on the same night
there happens to be a forest fire I'D
he canyon. It's pity we can't take
n BOTH
Murphy, who had arrived upon the
scene late because he had not intended
q 60, but somehow could not stay
away, Joined the pair, and explained
% them that the fire was too far away
or them to reach, and that the south |
Wind was carrying it still farther away. |
The sound Of reyelry waxed high as
he evening wore on One caller after |
mother grew husky and retired from
he field, but the flying feet of the |
lancers were interchangeable Then the |
Nlnkses did their turn. and were |
hereafter treated to pink lemonade by |
very gallant in the house, till they |
must have been internally soaked. |
after another several hours of dane
ng, Dick Van Horn picked his banjo /
md sang his coon songs till everybody |
n the room was hunming an accom- /
'animent. Still the dancing went on
With undated zeal. Then, after clear
ng his throat several times. and
tamplng on the floor for attention, the
oor-manager announced, with much
nouthing of the name, Miss Eloise
Ldelaide Smythe will now favor the
ssemblage with the balcony scene
rom Romeo and Juliet by Shake
peare. /"
The women occupied the benches,
lille the men leaned against the
'alls; and after what she deemed a
roper delay, the impassioned Juliet
'aned from her imaginary balcony and
roceeded to thrill her audience.
Murphy had not danced much that
Fening. He made frequent trips to
1e bend, where he could look down
lie canyon, and Eloise Adelaide no.
eed, with a mild surprise, that BE
eemed to avoid her. She also no.
ced that he looked strangely pale,
h1eh made his freckles show more
excessively than ever
The Buck Valley audience was be-
g duly electrified by the glowing eyes
I'D tender tones that seemed to play
lief1y in the cashiers direction. and
Lst as he was being assured, my
ounty is as boundless as the sea, my
We as deep, Hank Redhead, the
acksm1th, at a sign from Murphy,
ayed his fiddle aloft as a signal for
tention, while jim, regardless Of the
going on between the Juliet
! the stage and the Romeo in the
sprang to the front, and be-
In: Ladies and gents" in arm.
ensured tones, i don't want to scare
obody;; in fact, there amt no need
r gett1n' scared; but the wind has
rned to the north, an the fire is
min our way, an if it jumps the
vine We'll all have to vamose.'' !,
An instant's hush fell upon the .