As he went on and the dancers fell into rhythm, the clatter of heavy boots seemed to thrill him with old-time memories, and he kept boisterous time with his foot, while his high, rasping nasal rang high above the confusion of tongues and heels and swaying forms.
"Ladies' gran' change! Four hands round! Balance all! Elly-man left! Back to play-cis."
His eyes closed in a sort of intoxication of pleasure, but he saw all that went on in some miraculous way.
"First lady lead to the right—toodle rum rum! Gent foller after (step along thar)! Four hands round—"
The boys were immensely pleased with him. They delighted in his antics rather than in his tunes, which were exceedingly few and simple. They seemed never to be able to get enough of one tune which he called "Honest John," and which he played in his own way, accompanied by a chant which he meant, without a doubt, to be musical.
"Hon-ers tew your pardners—tee teedle deedle dee dee dee dee! Stand up straight an' put on your style! Right an' left four—"
The hat was passed by the floor-manager during the evening, and Daddy got nearly three dollars, which delighted Milton very much.
At supper he insisted on his prerogative, which was to take the prettiest girl out to supper.
"Look-a-here, Daddy, ain't that crowdin' the mourners?" objected the others.
"What do you mean by that, sir? No, sir! Always done it, in Michigan and Yark State both; yes, sir."