TRANSCRIPT

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

Part 7

We arrived at the house, the usual cotilion, dances and waltzes were gone through and mine hostess was in great trim and everybody chatty and happy. The caller said the next dance would be a military schottische, 'ladies choice.' Mine hostess came right over to me and asked me to have this dance with her. Of course, I couldn't refuse ; it would neither be polite nor prudent. So giving the lady my arm we walked around the room with the others, chatting until the fiddlers should tune their fiddles and begin. I glanced over towards the fiddlers' corner and fancied I could see a sort of suppressed mirth and malicious grin. The military schottische in those days was a real healthy exercise. One, two, three, kick ; one, two, three, kick ; and then a sort of hop around, first on one foot and then on the other. Presently the fiddlers struck up that tune we knew as 'How's Your Uncle David.'