Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-19
Men Who Go TO Balls


 Of men who go to balls less could be writ
 ten than of men who stay away. It may
 safely be predicated that there are but few
 of the rougher sex who confess to going for
 their own amusement. Nevertheless, the ab-
 solutely disinterested ball-going man is a rare
 phenomenon. Here and there 8 good
 tured father may be found who, when for
 some reason no other chaperone can be
 found, mounts guard for the benefit of his
 laughter. The good nature that brings him
 into these uncongenial surroundings makes
 nim but an inefficient protector. He is gen orally dying to get away to the house or to
 the club, and, though willing to undergo much discomfort if his girl is amusing her elf, he will often confde her to the veriest
 shadow of 8 chaperon. It is only at few rarely opened houses that men of distinction
 Ire to be seen in bathrooms who are not con uected by close ties with the giver of the rertainment. The men of mature age who frequent the dance are, rule, of the ergreen species, who, having discovered the secret of perpetual youth, aspire to no high CT ambition. The middle aged individual whose youth was not gilded is also a feature of the modern ball room, and has even been known to become a social power. He is, as rule, reputed rich but his manner and his accent are frequently in harmony with his traditional antecedents. The young man of promise is not very often seen; yet there are exceptions, for there those that hold no
  and supper given to the wife or dance to the daughter of some powerful parsonage may be first step to better things Here and there one observes men whose presence is entirely inexplicable. They find no amuse ment in the monotonous round, and take no \ pains to disguise their weariness; they are too indolent to utilize the chance opportuni ! ties which the more pushing are on the out look for, and they share the amazement of their friends as to why they ever come, and ! wherefore, having come, they do not hurry \ away again Then there are the energetic persons who dance every dance as if their 1 lives depended upon it. It is generally sup l posed that they belong to the class of chance diners out, who, having performed yeomen's service for the plainest and most unattractive girls in the room, are rewarded by an occa- sional eleventh. hour invitation to dinner ! when some one more desirable has failed. I The representatives of the Guards, of the ! socially superior public offices, and of the Corps Diplomatique need no description ; \ in their ranks are to be found the better class of young dancing men and if they gather ! in their strength it may be taken as sure l sign that the ball is not without it's merits l The young man from the city is now ire. l quent feature in bathrooms, but even if his ! antecedents and connections are irreproacha- l ble, his commercial associations are not of I the most agreeable school of manners. The l alliance between the city and society has also ! l foreigner of vague nationality, whose name l is not familiar in the chanceries of any of the embassies His acquaintance is entirely with 1 the mothers and daughters of society," for men fail to appreciate his accomplishments, 1 and the secretaries and attaches of the re- 1 spective countries to which he from time to 1 time professes to belong curiously igno. I rant of his personality. Time would fail to i describe one half of the other types that crowd the doorways, and for the most part, whose one redeeming quality is extreme 1 youth. There is the epicene young man, 1 whose perfumed air and embroidered appear
 ance rouse strong desire to violence on the
 part of his more robust brethren there are
 the herd of striplings who are cranming for l the various services whose chief characteris- ] tics at present are their feet and hands. 1 There the youths of slightly maturer l growth, who have arrived at the white waist I coat stage of development and, on the strength of being members of some newly established club of juveniles, and of having
 their names inscribed on half dozen invita-
 tion lists, feel that the world indeed is their l oyster. The smart young man of the pres | ent day is one of the most curious outcomes l of the age; his future is doubtless full of the | widest possibilities, which all the more | interesting, inasmuch as his present condi- l tion is utterly destitute of promise of any
 thing in particular.
 The Sleeping Woman of Paris.