Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-01-09

wAsuIsoros. Jan. 9. 1873.
With the besinnning Of the new year
the social season. a. it is called. will DO
fairly opened in Washington. Many
members Of Congress who have been
home during the holidays will return
with their families. and many Others.
uneonnsc,sd with Official OF public life.
but to whom wealth brinss the means.
will come from distant city and town to
enjoy the s.ys,y and excitement that .
season at the capital affords; and which
will continue from the first Of the new
year until the Goth OF February. the
commencement Of Lent.
Much may DO said for and against the
way in which those who set the social
fashion spend their time. Our way Of
~prstsudipe to enjoy ourselves IL not
peculiarly American. but. like Jacques
melancholy. compound OF many
simplss, French, English, German and
Heather. OF which dancing Is the chief.
In Washington nearly everybody and
her husband dances. in spite Of age. dig
nity and rheumatism. General Grant,
during his Presidency Was seen on more
Than one occasion TO tread . measure
with ease aud grace. General Banks
goes through the square dances with .
gait half military. but with q technical
skill that has for its explanation the
fact that long before be was Governor
Of Massachusetts,. Speaker OF the House
Of Representatives. or General In the
army, he Was . teacher Of the terpsicho-
rean art. General Sherman barring q
slight rheumatism. which gives him q
peculiar string halt step, may be always
seen in the e~volutions OF the bal. room.
and always with q young and pretty
partner. I am told that he Is also q
proficient In those round dances against
which Mrs. Sherman ons year ago
welded her pen. but in the matter OF
round dances. ! do not speak from OBJ
servation. IL must not DO supposed.
however, that there are NO dignihed sx-
captions. There are some who do not
dance. at least not publicly. l never
heard OF Mr.. Evarts dancing. Senator
David Davis 10 too heavy to dance. but
Speaker Randall is not.
believe the American habit OF dane
ing comss not from . passionate love OF
the amusement but 10 permitted In be-
Gauss no great leaders Of ton have the
genius to invent anything better to do.
Among the elite In European cities ths
men are accomplished. while the women
arc domestic and slightly accomplished.
With ~, women have all the accom-.
plishments, and men are valued only
Tor thar capacity for success; that 10, for
their ability TO make money. The re-
suit Ia that in every social circle, while
the ladies' may DO able to contribute
music and 10 talk intslligsntly. and even
brilliantly, on = variety Of subjects, the
gentlemen, with their exclusively utili.
tsrian education. are unable to hold the
foil upon which all real conversation
depends. There may. OF course. be
delicious in~terchanges Of kindred
thought between two hearts that beat,
etc., etc.; but these interchangss are
sociabls only to Q limited and exclusive
degree. concluding In prolonged onoma-
TOPICS. and they belong TO the province
OF romance. not to the domain Of legiu.
mate conversation. The dancer 10 .
man or woman Of action rather than OF
ideas, and dancing Is q common domes-
tic plane to which the e~therially .minded
can condssccnd, and on which the heavy
w,ttad find n eaarca stimulant 10 that