Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-18
THE DANCE OF DEATH.
The Modern Waltz from nm Authors
Standpoint.

We have received from Alphonse
Hawks, the agent for the work
the latest literary sensation, a modest
little duodecimo volume, entitled the
Dance of Death" There has been
much controversy as to the author of
the work, his nom de plume being
William Herman. That he is a vigor-
u n powerful writer, no one who
reads his remarkable work will deny,
every page showing a practiced pen, a
wide range of reading, and a familiarity
with anclent and modern classics. The
author does not deal out dull plati-
tudes to Us, but strikes at the root of a
deep and moral ecourge hat is sap
ping the vitality of women's virtue,
all the more surely perhaps because OF
It's Icing cOuntenanced and indorsed
by modern society, aud upheld by
those who delight TO caper nimbly 'to
the la,civious blessings of the lute.n
IL Is as full OF scathing sentences and
burning denunciation as one of Juve.
nails Satiries, and wrote from the van
tage ground of ex p%erience and partici.
patton in the embraces that distin-
guish and allure the sexes in the ball.
DOM.
The principal objection to the book
will doubtless be in the p!.inness of
the language used. The author in his
preface meets the objection by saying:
:" My excuse, IL excuse be needed tor
saying just what / mean. is, that it is
impossible to clothe in delicate terms
the intolerable nastiness which
| expose, aud at the same
time to press the truth home to
those who are most in need OF it.
] might as well address the wind, as
veil my ideas in sweet phrases when
addressing people who cannot descry
he presence of corruption until it is
held IN all its putridity under their
very nostrils."
The pictures of a modern ball room
are drawn with wonderful power. and
10 one who has either been a locker
on i'll Venice, or has whirled in the
giddy mazes of the dance, but will
recognize the Photographic art of the
writer in the following picture:
As we approach the door OF the ball
room the music grows louder and
more ravishing than ever; no confu-
sion of voices mars its delicious melo.
dy; the only sounds heard beneath Its
strains are a low swish and rustic as OF
whirling robes, and a light. but rapid
aud incessant shufiiIng of feet. Ha!
the air is hot and heavy here; 1t
breathes upon us in sensuous gusts OF
varying perfumes. And no wonder.
A score OF whirliDg scented robes stir
IL into fragrance . . A
score OF forms whirl swiftly before us
under the softened gaslight. | say a
score OF forms-but each is double,
they would have made two scores be-
fore the dancing begun. Twenty float
ing visions-each male and female.
Twenty women knit and growing to
as many men. undulated, sway, aud
swirl giddily before Us, keeping time
with the delirious melody of piano.
harp and violin = Do
you mark yonder couple who seem TO
excel h rest in grace and srdor
" . Let u take this
couple for a sample. lie is stall
wart, agile, mighty; she is tall,
supple, 1.-THE, and how beau
tiful in form and feature. Her
head rests upon his shoulder; her
face is upturned To his; her naked arm
IL almost around his neck; her swell
ing breast heavest unanimously against
his; face to lace they whirl, his limbs
interviewer with her limbs; with
strong right arm around her yielding
waist he presses her to him until every
curve in the contour of her lovely
body thrills with amorous contact.
Her eyes look into his, but she sees
nothing; the soft music fills the room.
but she hears nothing; swiftly he
whirls her from the floor. but she
knows il not. . . o . - With a
last low wall the music ceases. Her
%swooning senses come back to life.
. 3 > Leaning YEARLY upon
his arm, the rapture faded from her
eye, the flush dying from her cheek,
enervated, limp, ~listless and worn out
h is led to seat, there to recover
from her dellrium and gather her en-.
ergies as best she may"
We take IL that the above is a fair
and truthful picture of a scene that all
of us have looked upon at fashionable
parties. The extracts given are a fair
sample OF the 1870 pages of a book hat
j. a capitalization of all the evil in
finences OF the voluptuous dance, aud
We hope thai 1t may find its way into the
hands of every husband and parent in
Eureka. Alphonse Hawkes. is the
agent Tor the work.