The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-12-20
"But what DO you think of round dan


"But what do you think of round dan.
ces in particular
"I entirely approve of them-for peo.
pie who are graceful" said Mrs. Wilcox
demurely; "but people who can't dance
we'll ought not dance at all. )"
"Then you don't think dancing liable
to peryert the young?"
"Much more liable to pervert the old.
But then, if they would be perverted
by dancing, wouldn't they be likely to
have been perverted by something else
before ?"
aIB. promiscuous dancing likely to be
conductive to immortality ?"
doubtless" said Mrs. Wilcox, grave.
ly, "promiscuousness in dancing com.
pany is unfortunate. But then," she
added, Frightening up, $50 it is in a
camp. meeting. Young girls ought to
dance with their brothers friends,
though"
MRS. ROGER A. PRYoR's VIEWS.
Mrs. Roger A, Pryor saidi
ri never thought Of dancing as right
or wrong The custom is, as you know,
of very ancient origin. The religious
dances of the Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans; and of the ancient Israelites are
often Quoted when dancing is discussed.
Dancing schools were the first schools
among the Spartans. Dancing was part
of all merry.making from the earliest
ages. It was not condemned when the
story was told of the return of the Prodi.
gal. You remember Emerson's taking
Margaret Fuller Ossoili to see Fanny
Elssler She, quoting from Aristotle, ex-
claimed: Waldo, this is poetry Emer.
son answered solemnly: Margaret, it is
religion .sa-8.
= aDsncipg belongs to the sge Of youth
and happiness. Nine lie Vert once sur.
prised 8 young man who asked her ITO
dance by saying: T never do; I like
conversation better; but mamma will be
glad to be your partner Mamma was
SO years old. We often hear of David's
dancing before the Ark quoted. 1t was
inot an agreeable spectacle, evidently, for
we read that his wife Michal, who had
loved him in her young days, 'despised
him in her heart when she saw him dane
ing leaping before the Ark. -
ihDid I dance myself when was young?
Oh, yesl But, like Nine lie VERT
always liked conversation better. The
last time I danced was at ball given BY
the secretary of State, Lewis Cass, to the
FIRST Japanese embassy that came to this
-country.TeI thought they were blood, for
I saw several of them furtively consult
the tiny watches hidden in their sleeves.
I enjoy seeing young people dance, and
am always glad to be invited to a ball."
MRS. BRYAN THINKS wALTzING I'M
PROPER.
Mrs. Mary E. Bryan, the popular
Southern authoress of "Hanch," "Wild
Work" and editor of we'll known mag
azine, said: II don't know that my opin.
ion would be Of much value, but such as
it is you are welcome to it. was
brought up in the South, and we always
had dancing as an amusement in our
family and among our friends, but ].
never danced round dance in my life,
and never allowed my daughter to
dance one either. We used always to
allow our black folks to dance, and
father had them nice hall built,
where all the hands from near. by planta-
tions could come and dance their queer
figures, that we're more like incantations
than anything else, and We all looked on
and enjoyed it. But, while ] have danced
cotillions and reels and such rollicking
figures, and the lancers, l never wanted
to stand up and allow any man to hold
me in his arms in the dance. 1t would
be permitting the familiarity that breeds
contempt among friends, and you'd be
doubtly reprehensible among strangers.
I consider dancing, as it is now done in
public assemblies and watering places, as
highly improper, and dressed as the ma.
iority of ladies dress, it is indecent, aud
Judging from the fact that while men are
willing TO take their friends wives, sisters
or daughters out to waltz, they all object
to their own wives, sisters and daughters
doing the same thing with their friends.
I think that one fact aught to decide the
question"
MRS. GEN sHERMAN's CRUSADE.
Mrs. Ellen Sherman, the wife of Gen.
Tecumseh Sherman, has long been known.
to be opposed to- dancing, and has done
all she could in Washington, st. Louis
and elsewhere to check what she feels to
be a great evil and danger to society.
She wrote her spprobation of the book
called "The Dance of Death" and after.
wards wrote to lady regarding that
book, asking her if she chad nsver
thought that Mr.. Rulofsen might have
been pushed OFF the roof and killed by
some enemy he had made by his fearless
and scathing attack upon dancing" Mrs.
Sherman objects to,round dances Aaboye
all others, and thinks that mothers who
have their daughters truest interests at
heart will discourage this form Of social
amusement. She considers the dress
usually worn at balls highly immodest
and indecorous, and thinks that whatever
grace of motion and development of the
physique may come from the exercise is
counter. balanced by the lassitude and
fatigue of dancing in cloee, crowded
rooms.
.sz.s A PHYSICIAN SUMS IT UP.
.. DR.. Alya 81. Dolby, the surgical and
medical inspector, in answer to the re-.
porter's question aa to the pathological
aspect of dancing said:
More young women are made chronic
Iinvalids through immoderate dancing
Ethan, through sany other cause except
ROLLER skEting;j and almost every physic-
clan has cases due to the abuse or what,
under favorable circumstances, is pleas.
ant exercise. a normally healthy wo.
man can dance with impunity just as she
can ridea horse or@play tennis, but com.
paratively .fews-American women are
normally healthy. Moreover, q woman