The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-06-04
NUMBER 80.
THE CAN-cAN IN NEW YORK CITY.

AI the masquerade balls this winter
WIN scarcely a single exception. The
oah-can spirit has seemed to peryade
everything and everybody. Here
young men and Anonymas have intro
uuceu lhe dance in its most ungraceful.
Slotesque ana exaggerated form, In
VAN nave experts been imDorted di-
rectly from the Bal AabiHe to .eanh
them its Partisan delioacy of indeIi-
eacy and spicy flavor of wickedness
Ihey have left their instructors far be
hlnd, and preferred to AmericanizeS
| anq VulgariZe it. The excess te which
IL has been carried has more than bor-
dered upon insanity. At the heIobt of
one OF these balls, at the Academy of
Music, single couple, occlipying a pro
scehlltm box, began dancing the Can
can IN full view OF the assemblage.
upon the floor beneath, the watchfng
ana applaudlng crowd widened and
Wldehcd, until those two young per-
sons absorbed the entire interest of the
moment. Cheer upon cheer greeted
eacii iresh ehdeavor on their part the
";. au.'leIice was ON the very tip-toe of ex-
clSement, flushed and breatbless. they
,,;n paalceu On; only stopping to throw |
Kisses ana flowers to the swayino crowd |
until, ready to faint with eyhaustion
they were literally unable to st1nd =
moment longer. On silch a scene as
ttlls, gazed the wives and mothers. the
daughters and sisters of respectabIe
OF New York, Interested and
!uhapashed, II not altogether unblush-
ing; IN the very midst of such scene
~ tnls Jostled, glowing and elated with
unhealthy, mad excitetnent
we're respectable citizens of New York
themselves! Can ally comment he
;eptcd? p''
Gathering force and impetuosity. the {
sfeat wave of sensuality has rolled on
eemingly without an obstacle to check
Us progress, until, at length, il seems c
Q nave reached a climax. and TO he /
ufiihg, foaming and towering above t
ilr neads, ready to fall upon us like n /
estroyiDg deluge. The last bubble /
lasked ball held in this city was pub
c disgrace to America, and an insult
, the civilization of the nineteenth
ehtury. ltwas advertised in the pub
c press, the tickets were on sale in "
ublic places, and every outward claim | Ii
rs made to at least ordinary respect n
oility. But for many days beforehand a.
was the foremost topic of conversa- r;
on with what might be called .tYomo Sc
ew York" and simultaneously an. D,
;ipated as a delightful innovation. OIL
hese Two classes met and mingled bl
ltiilh the walls of popular theatre, til
~ scenes OF revelry, carousal and dis to
IN. .t
Here at least the mask was thrown hi
| +; nobody claimed respectabilitv n,
&c herded with vice, corruption win re
Eruption. But in the frightful maeI- pr
rom were whirled far down the dizzy by
ad TO ruin hundreds Of young men. M
ten py birth, training and education. oy
The most exalted positions IN so.
'ty and it was affirmed that there
re respectable women present; and
is certain that ordinarily staid and
'ef hleni with gray hairs and faces clo
ed with care and experience. wiz bo
ssed aad applauded the horrible par ful
upon enjoyment, with a zest onlv pal
evident. The bestial spirit of sen, the
Il.ty and licentiousness ruled tho TIN
lr: High and low alike were reduced wa
. nat and uncompromising level of ed,
sradation. Quadrille, lancers, schot- hoI
D, waltz and polka were all arb,trar- wr
cancanizcd. Women were tossed it c
N boxes to floor and back again. like wo
many packages of dry goods, or borne clio
u IN the crowd, shameless, upon the !
ulders OF shameless men. Not one tab
II llcker OF refinement, not ore wal
Die remonstrance, marred the con- are
ent eiirontery and debauchery of stal
occasion. Paris was outdoae bv the
v York; the 'entricities of La
serle s; re paled before the extravaganza
u, ,Ir,, oarene /; and the long night of
,lry went out in the gray twilight p
aybreak, like the garis6 meteor r6at who
.s .s from the zenith to the horizon. shol
ing a red trail of blood behind t. roos
\ the voice of Mrs. Grundy was repl
! INTO silence by such splendid and high
ess ,e,mo SIN; one or two newspapers ing.
ad ~ ~ -'iiuiy; the participants chic
\ed at each other with bloodshot vain
ior day or two; then it became hiIl
u ',tS past, Does no blot re- bloc
!. is there no scar left?-Home win
eggs