blow.

But the desperate features in each dance did not appear at once. Each
man began by seizing his partner and dragging her recklessly round the
circle, ever and anon twirling her round violently with one arm, and
catching her round the waist with the other, in order apparently to save
her from total destruction. To this treatment the fair damsels
submitted for some time with downcast eyes and pleased yet bashful
looks. Then the men seemed to fling them off and go at it entirely on
their own account, yet keeping up a sort of revolving course round their
partners, like satellites encircling their separate suns. Presently the
men grew furious; rushed about the circle in wild erratic courses,
leaped into the air, and while in that position slapped the soles of
their feet with both hands!

Then they became a little more sane, and a waltz, or something like it,
was got up. It was quite pretty, and some of the movements graceful;
but the wild spirit of the glens seemed to re-enter them again rather
suddenly. The females were expelled from the ring altogether, and the
young men braced themselves for a little really heavy work; they dashed,
flung, and hurled themselves about like maniacs, stood on their heads
and walked on their hands; in short, became a company of acrobats, yet
always kept up a sort of sympathetic attempt at time with the fiddler,
who went on pounding his wooden board with his left heel and murdering
an inconceivable multitude of young pigs with a degree of energy that
was only equalled by that of those to whom he fiddled.

But not a man, woman, or child there gave vent to his or her feelings in
laughter. They smiled, they commented in a soft tone, they looked
happy; nay, they _were_ happy, but they did not laugh! Once only did
they give way a little, and that was when an aspiring youth, after
having nearly leaped down his own throat, walked round the circle on his
hands.

Even Tittles danced that day! He danced in and out among the feet of
the dancers in a most perplexing manner, and got his unhappy toes and
his unfortunate tail trod upon to a terrible extent. But Tittles did
not seem to mind. It is true that he gave a yelp of pain on each
occasion, but he instantly forgave the offender if he looked at all
sorry. Upon the whole Tittles was the cause of much noise, no little
confusion, and great amusement at that celebrated wedding.

Thus did Fred Temple and his friends spend their last da