The Dancing Was In Our House, And The Supper Was Served
At The Barkers'.
And that supper was a marvel of culinary art, I
assure you, even if it was a fraud in
One or two things, We were
complimented quite graciously by some of the older housekeepers, who
pride themselves upon knowing how to make more delicious little dishes
out of nothing than anyone else. But this time it was North and South
combined, for you will remember that Mrs. Barker is from Virginia.
The chicken salad - and it was delicious - was made of tender veal, but
the celery in it was the genuine article, for we sent to Kansas City
for that and a few other things. The turkey galantine was perfect, and
the product of a resourceful brain from the North, and was composed
almost entirely of wild goose! There was no April fool about the
delicate Maryland biscuits, however, and other nice things that were
set forth. We fixed up cozily the back part of our hall with
comfortable chairs and cushions, and there punch was served during the
evening. Major Barker and Faye made the punch. The orchestra might
have been better, but the two violins and the accordion gave us music
that was inspiring, and gave us noise, too, and then Doos, who played
the accordion, kept us merry by the ever-pounding down of one
government-shod foot.
Everyone in the garrison came - even the chaplain was here during the
supper. The officers Were in full-dress uniform, and the only man in
plain evening dress was Mr. Dunn, the post trader, and in comparison
to the gay uniforms of the officers he did look so sleek, from his
shiny black hair down to the toes of his shiny black pumps! Mrs.
Barker and I received, of course, and she was very pretty in a pink
silk gown entirely covered with white net, that was caught up at many
places by artificial pink roses. The color was most becoming, and made
very pronounced the rich tint of her dark skin and her big black eyes.
Well, we danced before supper and we danced after supper, and when we
were beginning to feel just a wee bit tired, there suddenly appeared
in our midst a colored woman - a real old-time black mammy - in a dress
of faded, old-fashioned plaids, with kerchief, white apron, and a
red-and-yellow turban tied around her head. We were dancing at the
time she came in, but everyone stopped at once, completely lost in
amazement, and she had the floor to herself. This was what she wanted,
and she immediately commenced to dance wildly and furiously, as though
she was possessed, rolling her big eyes and laughing to show the white
teeth. Gradually she quieted down to a smooth, rhythmic motion, slowly
swaying from side to side, sometimes whirling around, but with feet
always flat on the floor, often turning on her heels. All the time her
arms were extended and her fingers snapping, and snapping also were
the black eyes.
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