Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-20
THE LIGHT FANTASTIC.
An Accomplishment Which lmparts
Ease and Grace.
Invented by Minerva, 1t Has Been Prac-
! ticsd by All Nations, in All Ages,
and In All Chimes.
"Ths dsmsels wave their lily white boots In the
Cazsing waltz. "-ARrENUs WARD.

CaZEing NalIZ. "-ARTEAUs WARD.
This is the season of the year when the
dancing man is in most request. Balls OF
great and small degree are OF almost night
" occurrence, and So The belstsd pedes-
trian passes along the snowy and WiDd
swept sidewalk he often hears waited to him
from pubic hall or private residence the
shrill notes Of the horn or the low sweet
strains OF the violin, while as a fitting &C.
compartment there comes stealing into
the outer darkness the light laughter OF
merry maidens and the animated CONVEX
sa,ion of their male companions. Dancing
is of extremely ancient origin. By some
writer's learned in neurological lore its III
~vention is sscribed to Minerva, who, it is
sa;d, danced for JOY at the defeat OF the
Titans; others ascribe it to Castor and
Pollux, the tabled twins, while others still
select Rhea as the discoverer Of this
MOST AGREEABLE DIVERSION.
The Hebrews danced. and no wonder, on
coming forth from the Red Sea. but less
commendsble was their doing 90 after set
ting up the golden calf. Socrates taught
Aspasis 10 dance, and all through the lit
erature of the sncients one is constantly
running across illusions to the art. In
very old times dancing wa not only an
amusement, bat o religious ceremony as
we'll. and it wa not unknown to those who
followed the profession of Mars. The SOL
diers Of Crete mounted tothe assault dane
ing, as did also the Spartans, but the Ro-
mans knew little of the art, while Cicero
hated and denounced it.
Among modern nations, France he's q
great reputation for dancing, but Spain
has ever been regarded as the land where
the dance calls forth the utmost of
GRACE AND POETRY OF MOTION.
The Chinese say that one can form an
estimate of a sovereign by the brilliancy
Of the art of dancing during his reign, but
with the Celestisls music and dancing ale
The most important Of all earthly affairs,
In Germany dancing has long been en-
ployed as an accessory to education, while
il Sweden a celebrated physician, DR. Ling,
resorts TO the art as an important curative
agent. No other accomplishment, 1t Ia
said, imparts so much ease and grace 10
the person. 1t is the graceful pose, the
idea of being supported IN little, like Mer-
curry on his big toe, that begets in us the
idea Of pleasure, which is heightened BY
the witchery of sweet smiles and bright
syes, and the sounds of music, which are
always an integral part Of en- e~VeniDg'Sen'
joymept. -,
It is q fact which will probably not be
disputed. that TO extract the largest meas
urs Of bliss and enjoyment from q dance,
1t is necessary that The event should take
place in the psrlors of a private residence,
where the company is 9 small and care
fully selected party OF friends, and where
the music is of q superior quality; but tor
the looker.ou, who is anxious to Increase
his stock OF knowledge in terpsichorean
matters in general, or who desires to OBJ
serve human nature in a hitherto unex.
plored field;
J THE PUBLIC BALL
is the place. OF this class there are balls
J and balls. A reporter recently spent an
evening at one of nature not of the best,
and q perusal Of some of his observations
and impre ssions may assist the reader in
Willing away a Sabbath afternoon.
The 6sll room was q low-ceiled apart
J. ment OF limited area, a portion Of it being
i partitioned off for tie accommodation Of
tWo white aproned beer dispensers, who
e drove a thriving trade with both sexes dur
. ing the course of The evening. Opposite
f the beer booth four alleged musicians oc-
c cupied on elevared platform, from whence
e at regular intervals they sent out upon
the hot and cuff, cstirg atmosphere base
limitations OF popular W~sltzes, quadrill.
and schotrisches. When the reporter fra,
entered the hall in the evening there were
: about twenty-five couples present, the
ladies being arrsyed in their brightest
q eolors and the gentlemen IN their holiday
attire. AboutA o'clock the monochrome
, tuning OF violins which had been going on
among the musicians for half an hour wa
n suddenly stopped by q particularly
Q BUSINESS LEE YOUTH,
!, whose manly breast was decorated with 81
. immense red rosette, stepping into the mid
=, die of the floor and calling out: "Psrdner
: for the grand march, In q few momenti
. the entire ssseublsge had paired off, and
|. we're pacing around the floor to the meas
: ured sirGins Of a march. Soon this CAV,
place to q WALK, and the dance was fairl,
), on. Previous to the striking up of tn,
: music the refreshment dispensers hat
= busted themselves in tapping a keg or tw,
Of the universal beverage-beer-snd nov
they stood in silent expectancy watching
n the gliding couples as they tripped grace
fully to and fro over the unwsxed foo
and mentally calculated how many fall
they would have in the course of the even