The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-02-22

to tell where dance is being held In
the country, for as one comes near a
instead of one lamp streaming out
like lighthouse signal. there Is the
shine of Examinations from every win
dow. Then the rigs" are seen as
you approach. there may be a glimpse
of two or three mistily deserted forms
on the porches, and then you will
hear the faint squeak of the fiddle. AS
you pass, you may hear the shout of
the caller" the distant tramp of
flying feet, the echoes and unwritten
inscriptions that tell of the gayety
within.
The figures called" include not
only all the old ones which have been
handed down from the time of the
log cabin and the timber wolf, but
new ones which the callers" have
figured out and perfected. The two
step, the schottische, the polka, and
the waltz have found scant favor in
real old-fashioned country dances, but
once in awhile they are danced, gen.
orally to the scornful comment of
those who do not care for that sort Of
thing.
The younger boys like to hang
around where a dance is in progress,
and when the dance is short Of men,
folk they sometimes get chance to
be pressed into service and learn
thing or two about the institution. An
awkward, half-grown boy Topping and
fioundering through the mazes Of o
dance is always the signal for good
deal of laughter on the part of por-
ton of the dancers. But. IL he is sent
into the sets" too often they are
quite likely to tire of his antics. To
reel set off smoothly makes it nee
essary that all of the participants be
possessed of considerable skill; and
your seasoned dancer cannot abide to
be compelled to pull and haul "a
green-horn" here and there in order
to get through with the set" But
that is about the only way the boys
can learn, and If they are at all apt.
and anxious to excel, they soon be-
come acquainted with the simpler fig
ures.
We enjoyed the dances given at our
house fully as much as our neighbors
who gave them" Sometimes l took
my fiddle and spelled" the fiddler for
'set" or two, my knowledge Of the
old-style tunes being part Of my
education, which came in handy just
then. There was never any trouble
whatever at our dances. 1t isn't al
ways smooth sailing at a country
dance, for sometimes some of the boys
make up their minds to bust up" a
dance, just to see how it would feel.
But our neighbors were all strong for
perfect good behavior. And in fact,
think that If any outsiders had
started trouble, at least three of the
boys in our vicinity would have made
1t interesting for them. These friends
of ours would undoubtedly have insist
ed on peace, even If they had been
compelled to disable few of the un.
ruly. They we're very strong and &C
tive, and perfectly willing and anx
ious to sap" any disturber, and as
this was generally known, we always
had a nice, quiet time.
The only financial question connect
ed with the dance is the remunera
ton of the fiddler He is the works,
whether he calls" or not. If he
calls" he is just so much more the
"entire thing" If he only plays. he is
still indispensable. No simon-pure
country fiddler plays by note. He car
say with the rural bard:
my playin's only middlin', tunes
picked up when boy,
| The kind O. sort o. fiddlin' the folks
calls corduroy
The old Fat GAL an 'Rye-Straw, an
My Sailors On the Sea-
Are the cowtillions saw on, wher
the chico is left to me-"
There is a charge for each "set," 81
much to each boy or man who is Sc
lected to take a place in the set
He pays one of the boys who has got
ten up the dance, and the projectors o
L
the dance pay the fiddler. Sometimes
there are two fiddlers, one to play
second" to the other, or as 1t some
times happens two fiddlers who hav'
played together for years, and WIFI
|splay so evenly together that 1t sounds
like one instrument. Sometimes al
organ is used to accompany or chord
with the fiddle; and this accompani
4 ment makes a splendid contrast
When an organ is used, however
there is rarely room in kitchen TO
it. But in the halls, 1t can be set on
raised platform while the dancing
goes on below the platform.
AS a dance proceeds into the morn
ing hours, the older people general,
trail of, and maybe couple or tw
who live a long ways off may follov
suit, but for the most part the deye