Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-17
"wnere AZ. the Mei~

.W~here are oil the men?" In former
years the idle class in New York was
very small; but of late years. as wealth
has increased, the class CT men who do
nothing has also enlarged. 1t might be,
therefore, supposed that men would be
easily obtainable, and the ranks of
dancing" men increased. Such, how
ever, is not the case. One reason is,
that great many young men nowadays
who can afford it find foreign cli1nes
more congenial to their tastes, and pre-
fer to winter in England or seek the
warm breezes Of Pau or Cannes Some
few Anglomaniacs, also, are under the
impression that it is fashionable to imi-
tate the Tenth Hussars, "who don't
Dance"
BY far the larger class, however, is
composed of those who IRE afraid that
if once they begin they will be unable
to stop. The ordinary ball consists Of
a few polkas and waltzes, supper, and o
German. A man enters a ballroom,
and, seeing some one he knows, asks
for dance. After the turn is over he
would naturally like to ask some one
else, but in weak moment he proposes
stroll around the room, and his fate
is then sealed, and until the supper
relieves him he will continue his tramp
around the room, changed only by an
occasional turn, which neither he nor
his partner enjoys. The girl knows
pretty we'll that if she proposes re-
turn to her chaperon she will remain
standing or sitting by herself for con-
siderable time, and, therefore, naturally
hangs on like grim death to the man
she has caught; and he, not having
sufficient moral courage to take the bull
by the horns, and propose the return.
says nothing. This hesitation is caused
in great measure by the absurd plan
of couples walking round and round the
room, thereby taking up the greater
part of dancing space, and hiding every
one sitting down. A ballroom is not
the place for "go-as-you-please." and
the fatigues of the evening are very
much increased by the humber of miles
covered by the hapless couple, whose
peregrinations seem only to be ended
by the call of supper. This is the real
reason why SO many men will not
dance. They are afraid of being stuck
to one girl all the evening.
This could oil be changed if the
absurd plans of strolling were put a
stop to. A man could then ask girl
to dance, and, the turn over, take her
back to her chaperon, make his bow,
and retire. Whereas, now he thinks a
dance rather too arduous on undertake
ing, and prefers to look on and wait till
the german, when he knows his pen
ance will be limited.
The girls, on the other hand, who 90
to dance only have turn or two with
the same man, do not care to stay for
the german, and go home tired, bored,
and Disguised. Naturally, no girl can
throw herself alone into the breach and
demand to be taken back to her chap
eron. as she would probably remain
there; but if some of the lea ders of So
ciety and the managers-say, of the
cotillons and matriarchs bestir
themselves and request that valuable
space was not taken up, and the system
OF walking round the room stopped
during the time the music continues,
the ranks Of dancing men would speed
lily receive great many recruits, and
the dances in general profit by the abo-
lition of what is an absurdity, and, be-
sides, selfish custom. OF course these
remarks do not refer to "belles"; they
have any number of applicants for this
reason, partly that the applicant knows
he will soon be relieved; but bellies are
not always bellies, and, though q thing
OF beauty may be a Joy forever, it does
not last forever, and for their own good
in the future they should be glad to aid
in changing the present regime, and
the sooner all ranks combine to do
something the sooner will the deser-
lions from the dancing ranks be stopped.
|-Ercha1age.
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