The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-02-06
wINE, wonnv .lHD DIvcB.
"Jonathnu CaIlow" Relates Ills I'm
nraaslmrn OF Tho Ernnrh Mnll.

more than the shell of an cxcayatcd
watermelon. When | can look down
on the hustling mass Of humanity with
that calm ycrsr of satisfaction which
comes only with aye and contact with
the whirl of dissipation in the giddy
world--thcn | will be resigned TO
seek n lodge in some vast wilderness,
but till then propose to stick TO my
hack room in the fifth story; elevator
stops at If o'clock, and ten cents q
bucket for coal
| was recommended some time since
TO u position in one Of the Depart.
mcnts by our Congressman, who was
for u time superintendent of our Sun
day.school, and after consulting him
and hearing an emphatic protest
against the project, | went to the
French ball Tho dear old man had
never been hardened himself, and he
could not know the demands of the
times.
When ] arrived ut the bail there
were two or three men at the entrance
disguised rs Anarchists. One of them
filled the window Of the ticket office
full of face and whiskcrs, and another
was busily engaged In putting tickets
in glass box.
] was prepared with letters of intro.
duction addressed to whom II may
concern" but the man at the window
did not require any thing of the sort.
He merely reached out and took u
dollar from me and showed me ticket
through his whiskcrs. Then another
man icrkcd the ticket out Of my hand
and put IL into box and policeman
pushed me up the stairs. 1t was very
kind of them, for ! would never have
known where to go if IL hadn't been
for the attention of these gentlemen,
and their direct, straightforward way
saved me all embarrassing explana-
tons.
was in the dizzy whirl of society
/ paused in little hall full of people.
among whom policemen prcdominated.
just beyond were groups of gay mask
ers capcring nimbly TO the music which
swelled through the atmosphere. |
started in, but u gentleman, who was
partially concealed by large parti-
coloied rosette, said, with polished
pow:
Yer can't go in there, not now,
else yer git yer hat checked"
went and gave my hat and coat to
man in another ticket office, who de-
mandcd n quarter. gave it to him,
and received n ticket with number on
il. 1t struck me at the time that there
wasn't much chance that that number
would win the same overcoat when the
drawing took place.
The assemblage was u gorgeous one,
although was impressed for q time
that some of the decollete corsagcs
would have been much more appro-
pirate in nursery. But 1t was doubt
less mistake of innocence, and said
to myself: "JfOni soft qui NAL y
pense," which flatter myself was very
appropriate for French ball. Fem
mine loneliness was spread out all over
the place, making its way even through
| the masks that were worn.
The dancing was very formal in its
character in the early part of the even
ing, and / strayed on into little side
| room that smelt like stack of empty
beer kegs in side alley.
This was evidently the conversation
room, and MISUNDERSTANDING ladies,
with large families Of daughters, were
chatting comfortably over wine and
beer. L discovered that IL was con-
sidered quite proper for the ladies to
indulge in these beverages.
There was delicious air of socia.
bility about the affair. All the gentle
men called the ladies by their given
names. and some of the ladies went so
far in their light-hearted chaff as to
bestow little nick-names on their
friends, such as Fatty" and Freddy"
This was not INDUCED in to any great
extent 1t was delightful to see how
some of the ladies took a motherly
care of large number of boys who
were present. After II o'clock all the
ladies unmasked. / could not help
thinking that this was injudicious in
some cases. had quite an adventure
during the evening.
One of the young ladies became in.
terested in the dancing TO such a de.
gree that she lifted her dress up quite
more than was necessary and l saw
well, several months experience In the
hosiery department at our store gives
me the right to speak without circum-
locution-I saw her stocking. | was
tempted to call her attention to it, but
desisted, as it might have annoyed
her. found later, however, that a
display Of stockings was not considered
in any way violation of the pro
prieties, some of the young ladies
wearing what is known in the theatr,
as tights"
A little before midnight the floor Of
the place was well strewn with corks
and many of the people were, re
gret to say, somewhat affected by alec
holic stimuants. The dancing wa,
carried on with more than the origina
spirit.
i was much interested in u wager
which would make it obligatory or
two of the young ladies to dance some
step known as the "would- would" OIL
the should should forget the
exact term used. Unfortunately one
of the prospective participants in this
dance met with an accident and fel
under the table at this point and the
project was abandoned.
i was surprised TO see many staid
looking old men who would scarcely
be expected TO engage in such frivolity
But l was completely ast0nished to SET
my Sunday-school superintendent en-
gagged in an eccentric dance with {
blonde young woman with gilt slip.
pers. ! carefully avoided him, for
did not wish him to know | was there.
At 1890 realized that it was owe
two hours past my bed time, and
took my leave. | went home, and
after reading couple of CHAPTERS il
the Proverbs of Solomon, retired TO
the night. JONATHAN GALLON.
------= go
Bills for Divorce Filed.
N a ~
divorce from Scatter r. Burroughs. The
We're married over twenty-five years ago
and she charges cruel treatment. Harrie
| nnMnll nlsn flied a hill for a niYnrcn tn-hn