The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-15
Martyrs at the Ball.

IL 1S the fortune OF every man some
time or other in his life to suffer mar"
tYrdom in the ballroom. The methods
are various, the results tho same. The
executioner is of course the OF gentler
sex. Her name may be Miss Brown.
Miss Brown may be the most charming
and amiable Of creatures. But, untor-
tunately, SO far AS you and other male
dancers are concerned, she Is desper-
ately enamored Of Mr. Black. Conse-
quently, the only individual with whom
she cares to dance is the fortunate MIR.
Black. You may see her looking at
him with radiant face, whispering into
his ear, and showing the keenest ap-
probation of everything that he says.
You may also notice that she allows
him to clasp her little moro tightly
than Is absolutely necessary, and that
she leans OH him for support moro
heavily than she ia really called Oh TO
do. 1t is easy to perceive that she
would dance with him all night if IT.
were not for the wholesome restraining
Influences of etiquette, even though
she may not be absolutely "cngaged"
to him. When, however, she Is con-
strained to resign herself to your
clutches, her demeanor undergocs a
wonderful transformation. The radi-
ance vanishes from her cOuntcnance,
and her manner become frigid, espcs-
cially ii you evince the least desire to be
friendly and contldcntially CONVERSE
Ino ho1 10 n n
length, and, probably, processes to be
weary before she has gone more than
twice round the room. She forgcts
that with lucky Mr.. Black she is able
to keep up from the beginning to the end
Of a long waltz, but you do not, and
your humiliation Is. therefore, all the
more complete. In case you should
have some excuse for not thinking that
you are regarded as bore, she listens
to what you have to say with a dis raint
air, and receives your ncatcst things III
grim silence. When you fancy that
you have said something smart, she will
crush you by rousing herself, us If from
reverle, and saying, evidently in re-
ference to the law Of politcness, ooh 1
beg your pardon, Mr.. So-and-So, | be-
lievc you said something; what was it2''
You reflect that she will not break her
heart if you refrain from telling her
what 1t was, and you arc right. But
her behavior is very hard on you for
to have to tell joke twice over is very
much like explaining point of Il wit
ticism on which you particularly pride
yourself.
Having escaped from the hands Of
Miss Brown, you may possible be hand
cd over to the tender mercies Of Miss
Green. Now Miss Green pridcs her
self upon the strength of her character
and the power other mind. She would
have you believe that she has soul
above the conventional twaddle of the
drawing-room, and is able to talk to
men OH their pet subjects. SO she will
ask your opinion Of metaphysical and
philosophical works Of which you ulxy
not even have heard the names, and
arch her eyebrows III disduin as you
founder about in a quagmiro of diff
Guilty and Indicate your own lack OF
Information. If you venture to pay
her compliment sho will frown, but
If you ask her what are her daily amusc-
ments she will smile, for she then will
be able to declare that she loves read
Ing German and Greek, or tackling the
theory Of evolution as pronounced by
Herbert Spencer. Under proper treat
ment she will lead you to understand
that she is ashamed OF the frivolity and
empty-hca1cdness displayed by the
majority OF her sex, and deeply feels
tho stigma which Is undescrvcdly cast
upon herself in consequence OF thoir
mtsdccds. The results of your efforts
to entertain her Is, nine times out OF
ten, that you are III .dc to feel exceed
ing!y small.
But, perhaps, the greatest trial which
one has tocndurc is Miss I.ackadaislcal.
She Is Of a sentimental turn of mind,
and thinks of little except swcethearts.
She IS ready to dance through an eve
ming, almost without 4 break, regard
less OF the aching of her partners and
the sweat upon her partners brows.
She never dreams that she is heavy.
She certainly does her best to be amla-
Bile. You may tell her that the moon
Is made Of green cheese, and she will
not contradict you. Indeed, she will
smile and nod her head, as sho might
be expected to do If you were retailing
gospel truth. But, while she IS ready
TO endorse everything which you have
to say, she has very little to talk about
on her own account. After supper it
IS true, she may attempt to rally you
about your ilirtations. But, there is
not mnch 'go" in her chatf, and you
have an impression that she would-bc
glad If you would make love to her.
1ou have an idea that she could upon
very slight provocation, constitute her
self tho victim of an unrequItcd attach
mcnt. When you begin operations, so
lar as she Is concerned, you may feel
amiable and be full of spirits. bit.
somehow or other, she "dries you up.n
At tho cnI n thn 8rst E.x..o 10,