Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-09-26
Reply to I" Betsy Jane

Our IIieuu THO ioies- \UeS pardon II
Liberal takes up the pen this week in re-.
ply to the fair Betsy" Hear him!
/ED1ToR STANDARDS: An article a,,peared
I'm your last issue, entitled "Plea against
Dancing" written by Betsy JANE" in which
the writer does injustice to the dancing DOR.
I ton of this community, and being patron Of
the dance myself. and ever ready and will:
ling to defend my lady friends who honor tba
dance with their presanc, I shall endeavor
to reply to the fair author, even though this
be my first attempt at scribling for public
journal; and l will try and prove that she ia
erroneous in her ideas relative to dancing and
ll-going. 1t is very evident that she is
either prejudiced and ilberal in her views, or
she is not familiar with the fancy Dances"
which she attempts to prove are contamfha.
ting in their influences and in either case she
could not write impartially on the subject. l
am aware, from experience, that those who
do not understand what are called fancy
dances are generally prejudiced against
them. But it is seldom the case that these
prejudices are not removed from their minds
as soon as Mey become proficient in dancing
them. do not know whether Betsy Jane"
dances the fancy Dances" but presume mott
from the tone of her article; but will tentuig
to assert that if she will learn them. her objec:
tions will vanish and she will prefer the waltz.
mazourka, etc, even to the quadrille in which
she admits there might be no harm, and that
she will have nothing to say against them II
future. -'''
Now this is nm age of progress, and tho
arts and sciences have made rapid strides to-
wards perfection during the last century.
Dancing is. and has ever been considered,
pleasant and healthful amusement, and as
such has been cultivated for centuries past,
nv the most enlightenee of all nations. Now
ifin tho present advanced state of civilization,
the fancy dances" have been introduced,
praciced and preferred by MI lovers of the
dance-the refined, intellectual and moral
and I contend this class do dance, then,
there can certainly be no wrong in them, not
withstanding Betsy Jane" says to the con-
trary. She pretends to be shocked at the
idea of a young lady being encircled in the
arms of a gallant in the ball room, and says
that an act. abiding to this, (which would
cause the blush of shame to mantle the face
ofunsophisticated innocence is great wrong"
wonder il the fasiidious Betsy" ever al
lowed her precious waist to be /" encircled BY
the arms Of gallant" either in the ball room
or elsewhere? 1t is to BE- supposed moi, judg
ing from the style of her arguments. l do
not believe in maurais honte, and it evident
she evincrs this in her plea against dancing"
maintain that the act Of lady dancing the
waltz, polka. mazourka, or other fancy dance,
with n gentleman, need not, nol does not
necessarily. cause the blush of shame to
mantle her face, even If it be one of unsophis-
ticated Innocence" There is much truth in
the adage Honi soft qxi NAL y pexse.
have yet to discover that there is'a great
sin in dancing the ''fancy dances" as " Betsy
Jane would have the public believe. au
in favor of unfolding morality as mrch as she,
and if I thought that dancing had the tenden-
cy to corrupt the morals of a community,
would oppose rather than advocate that mode
of amusement and recreation Bnt there can
certainly be no harm in an amusement that
is countcnanced and INDUCED in by many Of
the best class of community. Not a few
worthy christians believe dancing to be no
SIM and even indulge in the "fancy dances"
Dancing is considered by many to be an &C.
complishmcnt, and if it has the tendency to
make one appear gracefully in the circles of
of so :iety, it evidently is and should not be
objected to. The young lady who is good
dancer and moves in strict time to the melo-
dious strains of music mot to the measured
scrop;ng Of a .fdd'e." MS Betsy" says in
the ball room. appears with equal grace and
ease on the street. in the parlor, or in what
ever circle she moves-an object Of admiration.
Of course she must combine other intellectual
accomplishments with this one. .,.s.si
1t is not to be denied that there is evil in
y Al Al
are some evil influences connected with ball,
going. But scarcely an act can be done. how
ever good, but what by carrying it to excess,
evil may result betsy jane" in conclu-
sion. objects to public balls. and says that the
"price of a ticket makes the professional
gambler and the libertine the equal Of the
man Of honor and principle. and ne is priv.
lodged to address the pure and innocent etc"
She appeals to parents and brothers to know
if they will allow their daughters and sisters
to submit to the "public embrace" Of such
characters. 1t is true the price Of ticket
will admit the gambler and the libertin. to the
bali room, but most emphatically deny that
they become the equal Of the man of honor,
simply because they are admitted. The lady
who has proper respect for herself, will nr
more permit such men to address her in The
ball room than she will meet them as an
equal in society. She is not compelled to
associate with such characters simply because
she meets them at a dance. But supposs
ladies should cosdescesd to dance with them
through courtesy. does that make them the
equal Of the man Of honorl Most assuredly
not. 1t is well understood that an acquian.
lance formed in tho ball room, does not extend
further. unless the lady should 20 desire.