Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-20
HOW THE PEOPLEIN WASHINGTON
5naEi DANCE. Haia ~ B

of such q gross misstatementf
HOW THE PEOPLE I'm WASHINGTON
A Washington correspondent of the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer, thus writes: g
"The dancing in Washington is peculiar; as
in New York, the Lancier Quadrilles are all
the 60. 1t is an English dance, and invented
by amateurs at the siege of Sebastopol and
dedicated to the French. There is considera-
BILE bowling in it, requiring peculiar kind Of
music--otherwise it resembles the well-known
Caledonian Qundrile. But the fancy dances
here are horrible; there is neither grace nor
gentiity in them; the poetry Of motion is lost
in the ferocity of action; couple grapple with
each other as if wrestling, and turn and trip,
and trip and turn, like ameteur gladiators.-
This is all done in small ring, formed circular,
like dog fight; the lady, held in close con-
tact with the gentleman, drops her chin on the
gentleman's bosom and looks up, because she
has nowhere else to look; the gentleman bends
over her in the shape Of q half moon, and, of
course, looks down, for he has nowhere else to
look; the right arm Of the gent and the left of
the lady are used as grapnels, while the other
two arms, locked at the fingers, extend at
length either at right angels or parallel with
their bodies, often changing positions, and
worked up and down, on the principle of q
pump-handle Thus accoutered, they slide in
to the ring, whirI and twiri a few times, and
then slide cut, when another couple takes their
place. The spectators, who are staid old gem
tlemen and their wives partly middle-aged
ladies, minated gentlemen and unlearncd fancy
dancers Of all classes, form ring around these
exhibitors from FIVE to fifty Geep They stand
and stare until the music stops, when the
crowd disperses"
This Is true to the life.
We can corrective of nothing more ungrace-
| fol than the movements here SO well described |;
to say nothing Of the hugging part Of it. It
| is very pleasant for q man TO have one arm
around the waist Of woman, and the hand OF
the other clasped in that Of the woman, her
head resting languishingly upon his shoulder,
and her eyes looking lovingly and confdingly
in his, while he bends over her in the most af.
fectionate manner, heart throbbing against
heart, eye answering to eye, and lip almost
meeting lip-and would IL others were no,
present Really we do not wonder young
men so full of blood and spirit are fond Of
dancing. If there is no "poetry of motion '
in II, there is great deal OF the poetry of feel
ing in it. There is no disputing about taste
says the proverb, and we shall not quarrel with
those young women who have taste for thi.
sort Of amusement and exercise; but il W,
wer0 as young as we were once, and wer,
about to choose belp-mate, our first choic,
would not be among those dear creatures VIII,
do not think 1t indelicate TO be hugged, anc
squeezed, and touzled by a man, so II is al
done secundem artem, in ballroom, or il
"thc best society"
IN UNION THERE is STRENGTH.
We most heartily concur with our old friend
the Editor Of the West Chester, p, Villag
Record, who speaks thus:
"The times require union of all the oppo
sition-of all the clements opposed to Despot
ism in Kansas, to the Lecompton Constitution
to Free Trade and foreign valuations--to tn
degradation Of the Ballot Box by base ser
Witty to foreign influence union of all il
Favor Of American Industry--of sound cur
rency in opposition to Treasury shinplasters-
Of an economical State policy-of sale Of th
Public Works, &c.
Upon these great issues, formidable an
irresistible Party may be reared in Pennsylva
mia. We therefore, invoke Union, Harmony
onciliation-among all whose feelings harmc
Mise upon them. We speak to American,
publicans, Wings and Democrats"
MIR. STEAMER ORR.