On
the Saturday previous carpenters had put a stove into the building for
the purpose of drying it, as it had gathered dampness all through the
severe winter. It was now Tuesday, the day after our sweet singer left
us, and as we were all cheerful in our new hopes, it was proposed that
we should celebrate our good luck with a social dance at the Hive. I
shall call on my imagination to people the hall with those who were
Brook Farmers, though not all of them were there in person on that
occasion, in order to give the effective picture of such an assembly;
the realization of it to the mind, rather than the absolute facts.
The first usually to occupy the hall were the young folks living at the
Hive, whose labors ended early. The dance commenced without ceremony
when one or two sets were ready. The pupils of the school from the Eyry
soon arrived, with the young Spanish boys and the well-dressed maidens.
Then the "Pilgrims" came, and the few who resided at the Cottage
completed the assembly. It was later when the members of the Direction
were seen looking in the room. They had been to some of the
interminable meetings.
The cotillion was the ruling dance; the plain waltz and hop waltz came
in for their share of favor.
Pages:
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244