The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-26


comic opera. / suppose they right, accord
ing to the code of morals which an excellent
lady once told me should govern her sex:
Whatever seems proper it is right to 90, put
whatever one is in doubt about is sure to be inn
proper
In the way Of dancing, Maggie Mitchell did 1t
in the Bowery this week for the first time in her
life-and that is long time. She has always
steadfastly refused to go there. She chose
'sFanchonn for her debut that cheap side OF
town. Her audience was enthusiastic and gave
her several recalls. but the applause came
mostly from the higher-priced parts OF the
house, the gallery being rather undemonssrative
The shadow dance was encored, but the gallery
gods showed plainly that clog shuttle. with
some novelty of s'step," would have suited their
fancy much better. The May-pole dance, with
Fanchons lively tripping. was far closer to their
idea OF good dancing, and when the cornet
player gave a triple tongue solo. medley or
our national airs, he was compelled to rise and
bow his acknowledgment again and again, ana
finally to do it all over The sentiments OF the
gallery were voiced by the ragged youth who
nudged his companion and said: THAT bloke
done the Levy first rate. heyaa An incident IN
the fourth act was typical of Bowery auditors,
and funny at the same time. Fanchons sweet
heart has told his ''old. old story" and the flow
of soul is interrupted by the appearance of his
him Bv his parents Trouble follows. Then
the ardent lover, in ending brave speech,
which expresses whole platform of noble and
virtuous panks. announces that he spoke to
Fanchon the words which he presumes his
father with bow to that worthy spoke to his
mother when he was courting her. The audi
ence indorses the speech, they invariably do
whom the sentiments noble, aud the APP
plause is loud and long. At the end of Two
minutes or so, when he can make himself heard,
the father yells .'Whatl but il is a delayed ex-
y,1o aS m aft 6ad hoa ed TO
powder. and had failed to ignite it for some
time. The applause is nearly unanimous, how
ever, and few fail to see the droll side of the
scene.
The annual mask ball OF the Arion Club came
to pass this week with more than usual grand
eur, and in spite OF every precaution with the
usual incongruous mixture of stoid decorum
and d1sordery jollity. The fat and fiaxen Ger
mans danced contentedly and respectfully until
o'clock in the morning but in the numerous
refreshment-rooms revelry ran riot from mid
night forward. The questionable element did
little dancing, and the proper element did little
eating and drinking; and therefore there were
few disagreeable collisions, each class enjoying
itself in its own way. I heard a well known
swell say to a companion as they stood In the
lobby:
'sThese Germans are public blessing. If it
was not for their stolid Indifference the gay
world of town would hardly have chance for
fun all winter long"
A striking example of the '.fun" that the
sigay world" seeks and finds at the Arion was
presented in a group of several men, young and
eighteen years old, and it was evidently her
first experience at great ball. She had, how
ever, learned the taste of wine and the flavor of
dissipation. and by o'clock A NJ. at which
hour first her, she WAS stepped in both.
Her dress was of kind much affected by the
lesser women who find their way into mask
hall Mnrh I'm harde erAvr of nal la Inc
extremely deeollete at both ends. stockings and
slippers of the same hue, and black gloves
reaching nearly to the shoulders. This
is at once striking and inexpens-
i've, and serves not alone to en-
hance the supposed physical charms of the
wearer, but to mask her slender purse as well;
for you may believe that the New York woman
of this type will put money on her back,
much of it as she covers. if she get it, and
the only reason why this girl did not wear
brilliant ball dress en- regle was because neither
she nor her admirer could afford one. But to
come back to our sheep; the effect of wine has
been not only to flush the chits vapid face and
make her silly, but also to disarrange her al
ready un nbridled costume. There was .l1ss
merest pretense at shoulder straps and these
were constantly slipping down over her arms
she lounged listlessly and unsteadily in her
chair. Her companion was her equal in callow-
ness He was having "tough" time. and he
gloried in it. Pint after pint of champagne was
broken by him. and glass from each bottle
swallowed by the pair of them. The most of
the wine was left untasted in tho bottles
Leaning against pillars, stand without sup
port all about them was the group of young and
old men. each one with his eyes slyly fastened on
the girl, watching the rise and fall of the shoul-
der straps. An older woman kept her eye
the young thing. and presently noted tho atten-
tion she attracting. She ATTEMPTED to
tion the novice as to her demeanor, but without
effect and the best she could do pin the
straps little tighter to her shoulders. The pin
gave way at the frss unsteady loll of the girl
against her mpanion. After time she rose
with her callow escort and made the tour of the
ballroom. One by one every man in the group
started away as if an idea had struck him, and
followed the giddy pair eager eyes still fixed up
on the cleaning shoulders that mora
and more displayed as she walked
They passed out of sight IN the crowd
but as / was strolling few minutes la ter at the
other side of the house met the girl again, and
to my amusement, every man in the group
trailing along behind, each one under the pleasing
belief that he the only who was enjoy
ing this particular spectacle. and that he was
masking his peeping SO cleverly that nobody
noticed it. They picked up others they went
along. and when finally the girl took seat in
of the balconies dozen men wandered into
the section and sat down back of her. Then
they all saw how many were in the boat, ana
when next the girl moved on, only one of them
had the face to rise at once and continue the
pursuit All the others staid IN their seats try
ing to look as if they had not noticed her and
was funny exhibition of human nature Ac-
cent on the man, if you please.
CLARA BELLE.
Sherfdan's Objection to q Building.
Baltimore American.
The following is going the rounds at the ex-
pense of Gen. Phil Sheridan. 1t seems that