The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-04-17
A Javanese Dance.

A JaVaneSe Dance.
The evening the regent conducted us
to the private palace, in which his family
reside. Apologizing for his wife's alb
sence by reason of indisposition, he
placed us in the centre of a spacious and
lofty hall, softly lighted with tinted
globe lamps, and graced with a curious
medley OF portraits of European cele-
brities-among them the Prince OF
Wales, the Queen of the Netherlands,
Jenny Lind, and Lola Moute2. We
were the only gusts A band of twenty
five native musicians was stationed on
the porch. Hundreds of the pcasantry
Bandong crowded the guard in front
The musicians played, in n low tone, a
recitative accompaniment, Soon after
this began, four bayaderes," T." one after
the other, glided into the room, with n
movement in harmony with the music.
They were apparently eighteen years Of
age, and had that golden" complexion
which in the East is the highest type
of beauty The regent explained that
the bayadere" amusement was derived
from the ancient Hindoos. The cos
tune Of the performers has the same
origin Ii consists of II long, scant
scarlet skirt, fastened above the waist,
and falling in folds quite over the bare
feet. A stiffened band of scarlet and
gold, ten inches wide, is drawn tightly
about the waist, fitting Just under the
shoulder-blades, leaving the arms and
shoulder-bladcs, leaving the arms and
shoulders entirely bare. The mont,re
was FURNISHED helmet. Wondering at
this barbaric magniilcence, Mr.. Seward
asked the regent whether the helmet
was gilded He quickly answered in
Jayanese, that not only the helmet, but
also the heavy girdle, the bracelets, and
anblets, were of solid gold, and added,
in English, "California. Three ballcts
were performed; it was not difficult to
understand the spirit of each. The first,
gay and Joyous, represented n nuptal
ceremony; the second, energetic and
vigorous battle with ambuscade, sur
prise, struggle, and victory; the third,
deep-toned and measured, II funeral
pageant. The dancing consisted of slow
and varied pOsturing and extrayagant
gesticulation, to the broken and impcr-
feet time of the wild music The baya-
deres' were not the only performers Of
the evening. There were two dwarfs,
the eldest thirty years old, we'll pro-
portoned and agile, and n counterpart
of Tom Thumb. In the other, the
peculiar Malay figure and features were
| exaggerated to absolute dcformity. The
regent took especial delight in this LuSus
nature, and laughed immoderatrly at
the little creatures big head and handy
legs. We, who at home are more panied
than pleased by the exhibitions of Gen
eral Tom Thumb and his Liliputian
wife, could not symathize here with the
barbarian prince. 1t was with difficulty
that we suppressed or disgust when the
pitiable dwarfs were put forward as
harlequins in the historical pantomimes
which the "bayadcrs" were executing.
Dwarfs bere remain the same impor.
tant personages they were in European
courts three hundred years ago. We
ought to have mentioned that the Radhe
Adepathe maintains seven of them.
The performance of the night had
very pleasing interlude. While the
artistes were resting in the intervals
the guard at the door opened the way
to chorus Of peasants. They executed
n grotesque dance, which gave unbound.
ed delight, not only to ourselves, but tc
the unbidden native spectators outside.
In the midst of this diversion, two chill.
dren of the regent, girls of four and five,
and very small, came in with their at
tendants, dressed in queenly satan robes
and jewels. He presented them to us
with manifest pride, and, although they
trembled during the ceremony, they
performed their little parts with all the
formality of women. -Se,Cards IraUets
THERE is lady in Lexington, Ky.
who possesses two pets, monkey and {
parrot, who are on antagonistic terms
and who dfre locked up separately whel
left unmatched. One day they wese ac
cidentaly left together, and desperat
fight ensued. The monkey ruthlessl
pulled out every feather of the unfol
tunate parrot, and broke up the mante
ornaments generally. When Mrs. G.
returned, she found the monkey chat
tering on the mantel-piece, and on
! crept the parrot, looking deeply injur
ell, and greeted her with, We've hae
hell of time.