Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-12-12
Dancing at Wess Point.

The cadet balls which occur at West
Point three times II week during the
summer eneampment have u delicious
flavor of old-fashioned children s par
ties about them. They begin at eight
and end at ten o'clock sharp. Uncle
Sam provides . good BALLROOM and ten
musicians. and the cadets provide the
guests. The officers magnanimously
Stay away. except the superintendent
and his wife. who punctiliously accept
the invitations rendered them. The
only preparation the cadets can make
is 10 put on their freshest laundried
white-duck trousers and scrab their AL
ready shining faces. Their trousers are
objects of much solicilude with them.
They rigidly avoid sitting down ut the
balls for fear that their knees should
acquire baogy and civilian look. and
it may be said that the military tailor
who makes their trousers is a perfect
mas er of the mystery of fitting.
About eight o'clock in the evening
innumerable white-legged and bobtail-
coated young men assemble in front of
the academic building containing the
ballroom. where the omubuses deposit
the blooming young ladies. who make
the cadets hearts beat beneath their
nicely padded Jackets. Having only
two hours of reveing TO count on, they
have got the question of time down fine,
Every dance is engaged for. and the in.
tervals between the dances are inlini-
tesimal. These boys show in their fresh
faces and 1.-the forms the benefit ofregu-
lar hours, wholesome fare. and healthy
discipline. The continual attention of
the riding master. the fencing master.
and the dancing master is Shown in their
department. The bad manners of many
society men would need no better foil
than the polite attention to their guests
of these cadets.
Punctually at eight the band strikes
up, and the whirling begins. Every
thing dances; the bobtuiled coats scin-
tillate, the white-trousered legs twinkle.
and the ecstatc young ladies are in the
Elysian Fields. Chaperones at .hese
white balls are of small accornt There
is no danger of couples straying off;
the cadet is engaged for every dance,
and there is little time for sentiment.
The band plays kind of hoppity-sklp-
pity-jump music that is highly appro-
pirate 10 the occasion. The fact that the
assemblage is rather youthful must.
however, be studously avoided in con-
vcrsalion. TIE cadets speak of each
other always as men,, The cadet Off
GERS, with sashes tied around their slim
waists, are considered terrible fellows
among the girls by the rest of the
corps. At the balls, the girl who gets
an adolescent officer with Il sash is
looked upon as mortal blessed by the
gods.
The two hours slip by like lightning.
At 4 quarter to ten 4 cadet with a drum
appears at the door Of the ballroom.
The band twists Home, Sweet Home"
into queer sort OF waltz the cadets
meanwhile dancing for all they are
worth now in these last few precious
minutes. Then the band slides iuto
'Take Back the Heart" done as an
other waltz. highly appropriate and
suggestive air. selected on purpose as n
tinal warning TO the young ladies, and
suddenly the drummer, who has been
cyeing the clock, seizes his drumsticks,
and II loud rattle, rattle, bang. whir-r-r
resounds. 1t is like the crack ofrfoom.
Every blessed little cadet takes his part
ner under his arm and makes dash for
the doorway. The young ladies, who
want TO be escorted to their omnbuses.
are quick in getting on their wraps. and
in half an hour from the rolling of the
drum the girls are trundled off and the
cadets are snug in bed. --AeW York SusA