THE BALL. 93 



their emphasis was magnificent. But I was tell- 

 ing about Everitt's fiddling. Nature dealt botmti- 

 t'ully with my friend in tliis respect. His capacity 

 and perseverance in drawing a bow border on the 

 mar^'ellous. Indeed, he is a kind of animated mu- 

 sical machine. Set him going, and he Avill play 

 through the entire list of known tunes before he 

 comes to a halt. His intense actiAuty in this di- 

 rection afforded the only possible solution for the 

 greatest mystery of the camp, — Everitt's appetite 

 while in the woods. I find in my " notes " a math- 

 ematical calculation, made the fifth night in camp. 

 It was the result of the gravest deliberation on 

 the part of the whole company, and is beyond 

 doubt nearly correct. Tliis is tlie fornmla : — 



" Exhaustion of muscular filjre through fiddling, 

 two pounds per night. Consumption of venison 

 steak, three and a half pounds. 



" Not gain to Everitt, one pound and a half per 

 night." 



Tliis conclusion contributed materially to relieve 

 the minds of the company from an anxiety con- 

 cerning the possilile results of the trip to Everitt. 



"When I entered the room, drawn thither, as I 

 have said, by the tones of the violin, the company 

 were in full career. The intricacies of the Vir- 

 ginia reel were being threaded out with a rapidity 

 which, with ladies for partners, would have been 

 rathei embarrassing. After the C|uadrille, Spanish 



