Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21
DANCING THE GERMAN.
A Word or Two About Ideal Partners
and the Chosen Man to Lead.

and the Chosen Man to Lead.
popular young society woman and her
partner in the cotillon the other night were
discussing, over some chicken salad and cham
payne in the supper room, the fun that was to
be found in dancing the german.
"You know very WELL Mr. Smifkins," che
was saying, THAT it all depends upon ones
partner. The ideal partner, I take it--and you
are too well aware Of my meaning to think me
rude in saying so-is the one you see very little
OF. Now, consider you such one. We have
been dancing together for two hours past and I
haven't had the pleasure of your company for
more than fifteen minutes of the time. The
girls took you out so often that you didn't de-
pend on me at all, and so was entirely at lib
erty to hy around as l liked and to take turns
with every man in the room. When go home
tonight l can say that I've had a simply de-
;llshtful time and will thank you for it."
DANCING WITH ''sTIcK."
you are awfully good to say so. Miss Falco-
mel" replied the graceful youth in dress coat
and expansive shirt front, "and can with the
utmost sincerity return the compliment. The
jolly evening I've been having contrasts very
agreeably with one spent at a german in Bal
tlmore last week. My partner on that occasion
was what we men call a stick You know what
that sort OF young woman is like. The may
be rather pretty than otherwise, and no
fool perhaps, but she lacks sparkle utterly.
doesn't know how to dress and dances better
with girls than she does with men. With her
own sex she is very likely to be popular; but
the men simply will not take her out, because
after one trial they discover that she is stick.
She doesn go. and that is all there is about it.
doubtless she Is as good as she can be; but her
place Is at the freside knitting stockings and
not at cosillon. You are made-supposing
you her partner to feel this dismal truth more
and more acutely as the evening progresses.
ohe is very apt to refuse supper, SO that you
are opllged to refrain also, though you may be
OVERCOME WITH HUNGER AND THIRST,
and II you get her into the refreshment depart
ment she congresses her lips with an air of
sanctimonious disapproval when you venture
upon third glass of champagne As a rule
You nave chosen her because of some family
obhgatlon; III fulfilling your duties toward her
as partner you feel that you doing your
duty as q man and IL gentleman and that Won
VIII go 10 heaven when you due. But you are
unhappy. Nnlle the dancing is in progress no
one takes her out, and when you yourself are
taken out you are haunted at every step BY the
shadow OF that unfortunate girl, sitting upright
on her chair anu pretending that she is en- jov-
ing herself. While IN reality she feels unutter-
ably miserable You take your mea friends
up to her and introduce them. saying az YOU
are about to DO so: For Gods sake. old man
do take her out. But they won't do it; at any
rate. not more than once. You are doomed for
that evening. And when you put her into her
carriage. after all is over. YOU feel that the
german, SO far AZ you are concerned, has been
bitter failure and Il disappointment"
THE MASCULINE STICK"
The lady laughed meiodiously behind her
fan.
Why, Mr.. Smiffkins." she SAID, "you men
are not nearly such sufferers as we women from
the evil of dancing parties called the stick
For every such bore i'll petticoats there are a
dozen in pantaloons, and it is not in our power
to avoid them. as II is in yours. 1t is not often
that you are compelled to ask girl you do not
think desirable to be your partner; but, if a
man whom l don't like asks me, it is not easy
for me to escape. Let me give you picture
of the typical male stick. He is an excellent
fellow. and probably well liked by other men,
VINO speak OF him as person Of solid attain
ments. But he is heavy, deplorably heavy
he :akes his pleasure seriously and pursues the
| routine OF gayety as if he were attending a
funeral. Dances badly, is little embarrassed
and most desperately polite; bestows compli-
ments with an elaborate effort that makes one
feel uncomfortable. In short he turns what
ought to be the fun of a german into distress
| and fatigue. Now, would you like me to de-
scribe for you the ideal partner?'
by all means, Miss Falconer. Pray do So"
well, he should be good looking and clever,
to begin with. and, more important STILL he
should know all the men well and take pains to
| introduce those of them to you whom you don't
know. He must dance like dream, OF course,
and 1t Is necessary that he should be fayorite
with all the girls, so that he will be taken out
all the time. That, briefly expressed, is my
definition OF what partner ought to be. Now
| perhaps. you will describe for me your notion
OF the ideal girl to dance german with"
THE IDEAL FEMALE PARTNER.
'With pleasure, Miss Falconer MY ideal
partner is an awfully pretty girl, with lots of
sparkle and vivacity, small talk in plenty and
an acquaintance with all the men. She must
entertain good deal, SO that the men will have
| that additional reason for fockng around her
| and giving her favors. She is well dressed Of
| necessity and irst-rate dancer. From the be-
| ginning OF the german to the end she is no
| trouble to her partner; when you are not out
she Is, and she keeps up the excitement enjoy
ing it all immensely until the close of the fes-
| tvltles. IL she does not eat voraciously she is
not unwilling that her partner should. All the
| men like her and are eager to take her out,
and, when it is time for her to depart, having
| seen very little of her during the evening YOU
| give last gentle squeeze to her whlte-gloyed
finger tips and leave her with the impression
that she Is a charming young woman and that
you have had jolly good time
WHAT CONSTITUTES A LEADER.
| II will venture to take great deal of that
speech as complimentary to myself, Mr.. Sniff
kins, for that You mean it to be 80 accepted,
| whether sincerely intended or otherwise is I'M
mistakable. 1t seems to me, however, that the
| enjoyment one gets from german depends to
/ great extent, after all, upon the leader. If
| he does not do perfectly all is failure. You
| will yourself own that the leader of german
is born, not made. The man who was chosen
to lead this cotillon tonight always does it ad-
mirably; he combines all the many qualities
necessary-a merry temper, quickness, imper-
| turbable good humor, and an unselfish eve for
| every ones fun. A leader like him can keep
german going from midnight to In the morn
| ing without firing anybody, while a poky,
timid man will weary all the people in an
hour. One great mistake often made,
| especially at big germans, is to lead
out two couples from one side and
| two from another without order, instead of
| going right along down, SO that there is no
certainty when anybody will get his or her
turn, the couples get dissatisfied and unco n
| fortableness generally results. leader, too,
| should never attempt an innovation unless he
is prepared to carry it through; we have both
OF US often seen that rule violated fatally.
Another thing believe in is that leader
| should never object to privateering, SO long
as 1t Is done to only mild extent and unosten.
tatlously. There is no use in running dancing
party as strictly as II 1t were a Sunday school
class. But the music is striking up in the par
Tors; suppose you give me your arm"
ONE OF NATURES REMEDIES.
Pine Apple Juice is Said to be q Specific