The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-09-10

came to these dances from 20 miles
around, the trip had TO be accom-
plished in daylight. SO the entertain
ment began when the sun went down
and lasted until it arose again. Conse-
quently, in order to give the dancers
and musicians an occasional rest, the
programme was interpreted with
songs and Rotations.
On this occasion the notices posted
a. the surrounding post offices an
nouned that the well-known Billy
Winks twins, Ruby and Pearly, were
10 speak a dialogue; that Dick Van
Horn would give a 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
specialties, 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
lalde was sifted down to Lou-"little
Lucy Smith, old Tom Smiths little
g1rl'-then with a meaning twinkle,
been away to school, haw, haw,' IL
But it was not Lou, nor Lucy, nor
oven Miss Louise who appeared at the
dance escorted by the dignifed cash
iss', but in very truth Eloise Adelaide
who tloated in Sh~akespearean 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
TEN. And strange as it might have
seemed TO her, it had a 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
were trim, shirt-waist suits worn by
the town women, limp finery worn by
the native bellies. khaki suits, knicker-
bockers, and tweeds worn by the men
everything, in fact, whirled across the
moor 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 Its almost too much of a
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 q forest fire up
the canyon. It's a pity we can't take
in both"
Murphy, who had arrived upon the
scene late because he had not intended
to go. but somehow could not stay
away, Joined the pair, and explained
to them that the fire was too far away |
for them to reach, and that the south
wind was carrying it still farther away.
The sound of revelry waxed high as
the evening wore on. One caller after
another grew husky and retired from
the field, but the flying feet of the
dancers were interchangeable. Then the
Winkses did their turn. and were
thereafter treated to pink lemonade by
every gallant in the house, till they
must have been internally soaked.
After another several hours of dane
ing, Dick Van Horn picked his banjo
and sang his coon songs till everybody
in the oom was humming an accom-
paniment. Still the dancing went on
with undated zeal. Then, after clear
ing his throat several times, and
stamping on the floor for attention, the
announced, with much
mounting of the name, Miss Eloise
Smythe will now favor the
assemblage with the balcony scene
from Romeo and Juliet by Shake
speare."
The women occupied the benches,
while the men leaned against the
walls; and after what she deemed q
proper delay, the impassioned Juliet
leaned from her imaginary balcony and
proceeded to thrill her audience.
Murphy had not danced much that
evening. He made frequent trips to
he bend, where he could look down
he canyon, and Eloise Adelaide no
iced, with a mild surprise, that he
seemed TO avoid her. She also no.
iced that he looked strangely pale,
which made his freckles show more
'ggressively than ever.
The Buck Valley audience was be-
ng duly electrified by the glowing eyes
md tender tones that seemed to play
,hiefy in the cashiers direction, and
ust as he was being assured, my
county Is as boundless as the sea, my
owe as deep Hank Redhead, the
blacksmith, at a sign from Murphy,
waved his fiddle aloft as a signal for e
.ttention, while Jim, regardless of the ,
oilLhSitIS SSAh5 IN ~ DullSL | =
m the stage and the Romeo In the :,
.udience, sprang to the front, and be- :
AN: Ladies and gents" in firm, :
Measured tones, IL don't want to scare :
in fact, there amt no need !.
err gettin' scared; but the wind has :
urned to the north, an the fire Is -.
omiD' our way. an If Ii jumps the /.
avine we'll all have to vamose." :
An instants hush fell upon the ;
louse, then a stampede ensued for n
oors and windows. Almost as the !
peaker finished, a light began to glow y
own the bend, A grave apprehension 7
eized the hearts of the mountain peo- q
lie at Jim Murphy's words. while the A
ensitive shoulders of Eloise Adelaide
ringed at his superfiuous negatives.
at c2A't possibly jump the ravine,"
=