TRANSCRIPT

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

Part 9

And they surely did. From moderato to allegro and from allegro to prestissimo, until the sweat rolled down off the end of my nose and chin, and down the back of my neck. One, two, three, kick ; one, two, three, kick. Would those d---n fiddlers never quit? Were they having a marathon test of fiddling endurance? The giggles and roars were not all at funny yarns!

At last the music stopped and, of course, I led mine hostess to a chair and told her how much I enjoyed the dance. She reciprocated by saying 'She didn't know when she had such a dance.' I didn't either, for that matter.

I went over to the fiddler's corner and demanded what in the d---l made 'em fiddle so long? All the consolation I got was, 'Hoop 'er up, boys, hoop 'er up.'