The Newtown bee., 1907-05-31

\ , $&s&&8&%&@e,se&. willing requisition, and at weddings he had consented to aid in 'bringin' up de march;" dance music he would have nothing of.
 Ten years since the chief light of poor Cun1 Joe Wessie's life had gone out, and the Decoration day tha- had become Of national observance was close at hand.
 Spirits imprudently genial are prone to glean something of hilarity out of holidays or even somber import. The signal for work to cease is often the signal also for young bloods to come together Tor or!ight-hearted companion ship, no matter what the occasien And so, day of memorial services and obSer rvances will not infreuuently be turned into day of mere friendly greetings and thoughtless enjoyment.
 or late 1t had been observed that just as faithful, just as gentleman nered and kindly spoken as ever spruce, too, upon occasion, for he had remarked pathetically and with true dignity to one of his companions
 .'1 count it mark of respec' to dem as is gone dat 1 makes de 'pearance ob a genl l'man when I goes abroad any whereS.'
 It would have been much better could Joe have risen so far above his with those about him, and entered in- to their harmless mirth, or even could he have taken to himself another cheerful partner in life after having been so long true to the memory of his Rosybelle, it would have been a wiser course.
 The 'change" stealing over the man was the result of years of mourning and breeding. Knowing nothing of the various resources of diversion and consequent easement open to those of higher intellectual order, the mind as IS inevitable i1ss7t in such cases preyed upon 1tseif, and poor Joe, while not mentally "unEinged," was yet on the border land where reason topples over with but slight provocation.
 1t was only week previous to Me mOrial day-then known as Decora- tion day-that being tmportuned for the hundredth time, and just now by starry-eyed mulatto girl, to try the Piper reel, Joe made the usual reply, aI ca1n't, Missy, atn't forgot how, but cain't dance de reel no mo-"
 The evening of Decoration day; and dressy, te-vested one of bygone years had raced across country on his 1 heet-fOOted hunter, had dined glo. rfously at noon at the "Wayside tav- ern," had dined still more gloriously toward evening, and now, his gay of fiddle, flute and shuff1ing feet, he betook himself to the old quarters, ir happy y-after-dinner mood.
 He walked steadily, knew perfectly
 well what he was about, and was re ceived respectfully and with hearty
 good will by the humble dancers
 Yes, dancers! The curious volatile
 makeup of the average colored persoI
 admits of preserving disconsOlatt
 doWncast air just so long and no long
 CT. Then up flares the ,mercurial na
 ture and 9ff they fly, the former de
 nounced the recovered gayety O
 spirits Since early morn the dusk, citizens had followed band or proces
 sion, and with utmost decorum ant
 suitable length of face had witnessed the placing of floral tributes owe all was over, and mourning havin, endured for a day, what more com
 forting than that the evening shoul,
 be celebrated in genuine holiday style Over in one corner of the long place half storeroom, half hall, C1n1 Jo ly to himself an ancient plantation melody.
 What hapless spirit of reckless goo will all at once possessed Marse Tom ! who shall say? But the hours hap oily spent had left their jovial in , ting on forlorn while others mad merry about him melted the younge
 man to make genuine well-meant ef fort to offer cheer. Pity it was tha Marse Toms good dinner had not lief , him more judiciously balanced! H well remembered having in his young CT days seen Joe's wonderful dance . and more Vividly than usual he nov recalled the delight with which h had repeatedly watched the amazinI reel Crossing the room he suddenl tapped Joe's shoulder with unwontei familiarity and air of good comrade ship, at the same time exclaimin, briskly:-
 "Come, Cun1 Joe, up and away or the wings of the evening, let's se' . you come the Piper's reel! Why, tel
 years ago there wasn't man in th state that could begin with you whe1
 it came to spinning that whirl. Ul
 and at it, manl You surely coul(
 dance 1t would you but try"
 With look half-reproachful ant
 wholly mournful Joe began the ole
 "I cain't, Marse Tom, ain't forgo
 how, but"
 "Oh, now, no nonsense about think ing you can't" broke in Marse Tom still so called from bit,--"what'. the use of pining and moping your self to death because of pool Julius? We all liked him and all feel sorry for you, but''-dis cretion surely slipped from the brain o1 I young Marse Tom as all at once takine on knowing look and lowering hfs
 voice he asked: "After all, how do yor I know that Julius really died? Non
 of us were there to see. Imagine he'
 alive and coming home tomorrow
 Hop up and celebrate with VOur fa
 nous old dance!''
 Tom had by no means reckoned tn