Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-22
The Windnill
AT THE DANCE.

AT The DANCE.
l didn't want to go to that dance.
Something told me that Fate was
waiting there to trip me up. But
my wife insisted. 1 told her that
hadn't shaken a leg for some dozen
years, and that my joints would
creak so loud that panic might en-
sue and that the family would never
De able to live down the shame /
would bring upon its name.
But my wife's mind was made IN.
She recalled that when / was youne
my parents with praiseworthy fore
sight, had sent me to dancing mas
ter 1 replied that he hadn't been
able to do much with my feet-they
were rather big, for one thing. and
very sluggish, for another.
Finally. under severe cross-exami-
nation, admitted that I still remem-
oered the rudiments. Immediately /
was put thru the PAGES ana discover
ed, much to my astonishment. thai
there viii still he q spark Of esthetics
LETT In me. foud that I could do
the old-fashioned waltz passabIy.
well. provided only that my partner
responded easily and that there was
plenty Of gangway when decided to
reverse. thus:
1-2-3 1-2-3 3L2-1 f-a-S
f-e3 32-1
Then-shades Of Terpsichore!--it
developed that was almost adept at
another step. It went like this:
1@2-3-pointk 1-2-a-poinsI
1-2-3-pointI
So, equipped with these twu
movements. consented. In the week
that remained before the fatal event
| traced and retraced these steps un-
til there came over me q feeling OF
calm confidence. Yes, became even
eager for the night Of the dance.
Eventually it came. My wife. who
by this time had ACQUIRED a deep re-
spect for my agility. arranged the
dance-card. My hrst partner was a
middle aged neighbor, OF dread
naught construction.
And then the music started. Be
fore the fifth chord had been reached
knew that the sea upon which l
had embarked was uncharted.
Neither OF the steps had refearsed
30 we'll fitted into this tune. But.
with q brave show Of unconcern.
struck out from shore. For three
PAGES nothing happened-how can
not tell-but at the fourth / found
myself headed east and my partner
bound west. decided to stop short
(which made the motion unanimous.
Then, in a neighborly spirit. my
partner explained that what ] was
trying to do wasn't done any more
She offered to instruct me in more
recent step. And thanks to her per-
sistence and patience, was able. be-
fore the dance was over, to perform
something like this:
aym JJayoonr- uoemdfe' sh sh 3
I. 2, 8, 4, S, pause and sh,vsr.
8, 4. 3, 2. I, shivsr and pause.
Ny partner for the second dance
was somewhat younger and more
easily moved. She was, one might
say, Of the battle cruiser type.
The orchestra began once more. l
moved. according to instructions, l.,
2, 3, I. 5. and then paused, prepared
to shiver. But my partner wenl
right on. dragging me with her. de-
molishing nay system utterly and
throwing mo entirely out Of count.
Ny partner. told me that the step
was attempting had been passe for.
ten days at least. She consented
very kindly. at my suggestion. to
bring me up to date. Before the
music stopped she had demonstrated
this to me:
I, 2, 3, pause. 4, 8, 8, SILVER.
I, 8, 5, shake. 2, 4, 8, poiss.
That was OF course. somewhat In
tricate. But was not yet in state
Of panic and was willing to try 1t.
My third partner was debutante,
who informed me-not altogether to
my delight-that she was mile and
q half ahead Of the latest step. She
who At well into q low-slung road
ster. or to continue the nautical
metaphor, q submarine chaser,
I concentrated with all my will
power on the combination passed on
to me by the ibattle-cruiser and when
the music started / was on the am
vive. ] glided thru the /, :. 3.
pause and tho I. s. 6, shiver without
. tremor, but AZ started on the ].
8. s, shake. something happened. To
this moment do not know what.
But somehow or other one of my fee.
had become entangled with one OF
hers and sooner than can tell It we
were both nat on the floor.
She jumped up quickly and fol-
lowed. with all the grace that couIu
musten Then, out Of tho kindness
Of her heart, she took me In tow and
instructed mo in the step, which she
said all the best people would be do
Ing within q month. All you had to
do was to move steadily up the floor,
a. follows:
1, shaks, z, shake, 8, shake, 4, shake,
3, shake, 8, shake shake stc.
Hare indeed, was reasonable
formula. Some OF my ebbing con-
adsnos flowed hack and faced tbs
fourth danos with the assurance of
exDsr1snos. Ny partner this time
was . dear old lady with white hair.
who had taken up dancing In = seTt-
Gus way after many years OF moth
ing mors vigorous than knitting.
The moment the orchestra began
We stepped out. We rippled along,
!. shake, 3. shake. 8. shake, and be-
yond. shake. 80 smoothly were we
movinR that hacan1a entrancAd With