The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-19
BENNINGTON, VT, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1888.
THE PROPER THING IN CHAPERON

Mrs. John Sherwood is an authority
on social forms and conventionalities Of
the Anglo American school now II
vogue in New York and perhaps SOM
of our readers may like to hear what
this oracle has to gay on the important
subject of ChaperOnes. We make fe"
extracts from her paper in the Mail and
Express.
A girls mother is her natural chap
erone, and should always be With her
on her entrance into society. 1t is she.
also. who has the instinct TO take care
of the delicate, imprudent young crea-
turp who may dance too long and sit in y
draft af erwards And only mother
one would think, would have the con-
sumnate unsefishneSs to sit up night
after night to see a daughter dance
The mother must be first end foremos
in everything, the pleasant factor IN ali
the dinners, suppers and drives. But if
girl has no mother. or the mother is
necessarily absent or i'll so that she can
not chaperone her daughter, a chaper-
must be found.
The duties of a Chaperone are tire
some. They call for great unSelfishness.
She must accompany her young
charge into society. She must sit in tn,
parIor when gentlemen are calling. Sh,
must, especially after the young lady L.
engaged, go everywhere with her,
| Nothing can be more primitive il
the eyes of the well bred, than for al.
engaged couple to go to the theatre un-
attended by ChaperOne. The mother
or some elderly lady should always ac
company the young engaged girl. 1t IL
a more decent, more ele giant, more cor
rect, and although in many parts OF the
United States is not considered neces
7ary it would be far better If it were.
No very young filrtatious married
woman, hent on amusing herself, ,shoult
be selected for ChaperOne to young
girls. She is no protection to the charg'
and she lacks the first requisite OF car
taker, sense of propriety. and the ser
ond IT quisite, which is unselfshness. Ii
any woman should have spotless re-
cord it should be the chap IerOne. Much
Of the lUudness and fastness of a certain
set in American society is due to TIM
adoption of Y, ung chsperoneS. A CIR,
married yesterday is in no wise titteo
for the part.
At ball young lady sts by her
chaperone until asked to dance. and re-
turns to her side when the dance il
ended.
1t is curious fact that in Italy. ever
an elderly single lady is not allowed tC
go out alone, that is she is not safe from
insult If she does. Here certain ag'
seems to release girl from the neces-
slty of chaperonage: there, never.
No harm will come to girl fIom The
championship of nice and good chap
erOne.
Her mother if poss bic, if not her
mother, then the next best thing.
On the subject of chaperones thu
! Washington Star has the fOlIowing: A
employment sought by accomplished
ladies' of reduced circumstances is tina
OF chaperone for young people. A chap
erOne Is very important attachment
for young people in Washington society
and one 1t is not always easy to get.
Is embarras sing. and be sides generally
inconvenient for mammas to have to
in The corner or against the wall anC
nod, while their far daughters whirl il
the walz and tread the mystic maz,
that lead to premature old age,
An amiable Chaperone. who will &
with the girls TO the theatre, to ball
and parties, and where not, is cheap
most any price, and can find plenty It
do profilablv. or course they do no
tdverllse: Wanted, situation as chap
erone.' Nor do they ask Mrs. Penny
harvest if she doesn't want to hire I
chaPerone with long experience am
good references, 1t all comes abou
very naturally. The lady is 80 accomo-
dating and Mrs Pennyharvest is =,
grateiulI that it all comes to be under
stood.