Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-02-26

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 dance is in progress,
and when the dance is short of men,
folk they sometimes get a chance to
be pressed into service and learn q
thing or two about the institution. An
awkward, half-grown boy Hopping and
f1oundering through the mazes of q
dance is always the signal for good
deal of laughter on the part of por-
ton of the dancers. But if he is sent
into the "sets" too often they are
quite likely to tire of his antics. To
reel set OF 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 hg-
ures.
We enjoyed the dances given at our
house fully as much as our neighbors
who gave them" Sometimes 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. It isn't al
ways smooth sailing at 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 II any outsiders had
started trouble, At least three of the
boys in our vicinity would have made
it interesting for them. These friends
of ours would undoubtedly have insist
ed on peace, even if they had been
compelled to disable a few of the un-
ruly. They were 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 can
say with the rural bard:
my playin's only middlin', tunes I
picked up when a 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 I saw on, when
the chico is left to me-"
There is charge for each "set," so
much to each boy or man who is Sc
lected to take place in the '.set."
He pays one of the boys who has got
ten up the dance, and the projectors of
the dance pay the fiddler. Sometimes
there are two folders, one to play a
second" to the other, or as it some
times happens two fiddlers who have
played together for years, and who
play so evenly together that it sounds
like one instrument. Sometimes an
organ is used to accompany or Chord
with the fiddle; and this accompani-
ment makes a splendid contrast.
When an organ is used, however.
there is rarely room in kitchen for
it. But in the halls, it 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 generally
trail of, and maybe couple or two
who live long ways off may follow
suit, but for the most part the devc-
tees stay until long after daylight.
We used to slip away and retire, about
one a. M, while the dance was at its
height, and drift away to unconscious
ness to the thump, thump of the dane
ers' feet, the hardly-heard "calls" OF
the caller" and the reminiscent
shrek of the violin. It was something
quite vague and fantastic, this listen
ing to the echoes of dance, with the
moonlight perhaps streaming in ON
us, and the winds housing about the
branches of the soft naples by the
fence.
Faint and far; immeasurably dis
tant, sometimes the sounds came
creeping up the narrow stairway.
"Tiddy UNI, tee tee;;" Ladies
CHANGE" Forward and back"
thump, thump, from the flying foot
steps, and then, maybe, as an opened
door gave a keener strain to the
strings vibrating under the flying bow,
there would come triumphant skree
of ri ii tiddy, tiddy um, tee, tee," and
resonant shout of promenade all''
that told of the finishing touch to a
"set."
And then, as the door closed as sud-