The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-10-02
Mrs. sherman on Dancing.

Mrs. Sherman on Dancing.
M'Gee's illustrated Weekly.
The following letter, addressed by nj RS.
Ellen 4. Sherman TO the author of "The
Dance OF Death, powerful blow aimed
at the evils o. round dancing" has ap-
peared in the California journals:
Fort LEAyENwoRTH, KS, Aug. q.
MY DEAR MIR. RULosoN:-I have read
YOUR book, "The Dance of Death, and l
must say admire your courage, and be-
ieve you have shown as much heroism
as any crowned martyr, in your defense
of virtue and your denuncistion OF what
is so calculated TO drive 1t from the
hearts and minds of fashionable women.
| have always given this miserable dance
silent condemnation, by refusing to
allow any of my daughters TO participate
in it under any circumstances; but have
avoided the evil as something at the sight
of which my soul revolted, without beng
able TO say anything against it, either
from experience or any absolute knowl-
edge of its most direct and penlcious
effects.
You have had experience of the dance
itself, and you have evidently had evil
dence of It's most fatal results. From the
published letter of Father Accolti lately
sent to me, infer that you are suffering
the consequence of your heroism. L trust
YOU will not be cast down, nor allow
yourself to suffer any pain at whatever
may be said of you. Anything less than
your bold declarations would have failed
to produce any effect.
Now IT must cease. Women OF virtue
and selt-respect will now blush to have
the dance named to them. An amuse.
ment which leads, in any case, to such
results as you have pointed out, should
be forever discountenaDced; even II they
should continue it for awhile, IN order to
assert their own innocence and their non
concurrence in your views, they will
only be too glad to let it die out.
am rejoiced that you have spoken
boldly and told all you know about 1t.
The advocates of this dance have had
their own way long enOugh-absorbing
all entertainments, sneering upon and
ridiculing those who quietly decline to
participate, openly and constantly IN
sinuatlng of those who decline 1t that
thew are therefore evil-minded, etc, or
quoting impudently and inslnuatingly
their only weapon, .'Honi soft gu NAL g
Dens9," and then throwing themselves in
mems arms to prove their own purity OF
mind! | never would have imagined
the halt of which you declare to be true,
but | believe every word you write, as 1t
explains many things which l had OBJ
served without attempting to understand.
One thing alone | shall mention: L
have observed that those who enjoy
his dance enjoy no other-that they are
exhausted and miserable after indulging
IN it. and at "the season" they are
broken down" in health. All who
have participated in it must feel greatly
mortified and Inundated on reading your
book. and many will be angry aid bit
terly denounce you; therefore l say ad-
mire your courage, your herolsm IN de-
tense of virtue, which is in danger OF
being entirely lost to society by reason OF
this bold dance. Let them suffer mortl-
ficstIonl They have been ridiculing and
scornlng and sighting every modest and
opedient girl who tailed TO participate
with them for these many years.
am sorry you could not give the
name of the lady whom you quote
against the dance, because Others will be
accused; and ladies whose families, for
generations, have strictly avoided such
dances, would be sorry to be supposed to
have had any experience, even at the
price of being considered eminent and
renowned" l respect the lady, as do
YOU, Tor being willing TO denounce this
rom her own experience. Ii consistent
with yonr obligations toward her, l
would be glad to know her name, which,
OF course, l would not even mention
without your consent. Should you find
the newspapers "hounding" the wrong
persons for this good lady, please give
her name to the public, If she Is stu
willing; at least describe her, SO that she
cannot be easily cOnfounded with others.
| have as yet received only the copy
YOU sent, not the ones l ordered. With
great admiration ard regard, very truly
yours. ELLEN L. SHERMAN.