TRANSCRIPT

The Country Dance
A short story from “Pioneer Tales and Other Human Stories”
By H.B. Adshead

Part 4

And when he called “balance all.” Oh, boys, no more noiseless marking time, with slippers. Every gent in the dance, old or young, was expected to “hoe it down,” to emphatically exhibit his best step dance, and astonishing were some of the steps. But on the last note of the bar we all came down with a mighty bang on the floor, even we who did not know any steps could come in on this. Sometimes the caller would sing out a humorous call such as “Swing that girl with the great big feet,” to the merriment of those who were not doing the swinging. The tunes for waltzes were very often the refrains of some well known song, such as “Ehren on the Rhine” or “Dream Faces,” and the ladies would sing the refrain as they danced, which had a very pleasing effect. We were very much of a big happy family.