Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-18
Written for The EVENING STAR
GERMANS AND LEADERS.
Some OF the Pleasures and Disappoint-
ments In Society.

~. f PAYNTEK-but let the word be
lEkTEprinted in the middle Of O sentence SO
4lG kthat we can have the full benefit of the
EORsmall Ode Paynter Of Newport Lennox
and Washington was in the city for a few
days last week on his way to visit friend who
has fine country place in Maryland He is a re-
markable man, de Paynter, and is a born
leader-of the german. Do you know what
german is? Well, it isn't dance, it is a way of
dancing dances. 1t is a kind Of dancing class,
where the people sit against the wall and dance
when they arc allowed to by the leader. When
you are given this privilege you have the
additional privilege OF asking somebody else to
dance too, and of giving him or her a present
to remember the occasion by. When it isn't
your turn you can SIT still and look pretty and
wait and pray for somebody whose innings it is
to come and take you out for q dance, and give
you little present to remember the occasion
by. When you are waiting you are apt to be
bored, and especially are you tired when per-
son near you gets presents, or "favors," as
they are called, and you don't
THESE FAvoRs
vary in splendor with the wealth of the person
who ID giving the german. Some rich New
Workers here year ago had silver mounted
sticks and cut glass pony glasses for the men
and ostrich feathers and golden smelling bot
ties Tor the girls, and the most usual gifts are
boutonnieres worth about fifteen cents for the
former and bouquets worth about 81. : so for the
latter. Mrs. Aston in New York gives jewelry
when she has german, and there is a story
afoat that another prominent New Yorker once
mad diamond rings and gold sleeve buttons as
la'ors lhis Is probably not true, Lor is the
report OF saddle horses for the men and village
carts for the girls correct The tables upon
which the favors are placed are under guard
OF the lady OF the house. The suggestion has
been made OF having a policeman, but the idea
was abandoned because nobody was willing to
trust him. But the favors don't require much
OF guard In many cases. Cigarettes tied in
blue ribbon, inexpensive paper caps, rossttes
and things OF that kind are favors which are
very common and which don't cost much and
yet answer all the purposes for which such
things are properly intended.
Then again there may be Q german with
very Few favors. In this case they use figures
A figure Is where the leader places q certain
number OF couples in the middle Of the floor
ana attempts to make them execute certain evo-
buttons which nobody has ever learnt except
himself: The dancers, however, learn these
hgures before the evening is over If he doesn't
have too many Of them.
AGREAT LEADER.
The gentleman alluded to q little while ago.
Mr.. de Paynter, with the small D, is making
life study OF germans, and he really does lead
them beautifully. He is none of your slow,
bungling leaders that keeps you waiting an
epoch for your turn to lead out and sometimes
overlooks you entirely. He doesn't attempt
feats of leadership that he cannot
accomplish. There 10 no danger Of
mysterious disappearance Of the favors
when he Is in charge, nor Is he,
like stern schoolmaster, governing his
class through fear. There is q species of un-
lawful dancing at germans called privateering.
when 1t isn't their turn to dance an adventur-
Gus couple may sometimes chance their frail
bark upon the merry waters and take little
cruise without having taken out the necessary
clearance papers, so to speak. A clever SOW.
ereign of the feast like de Paynter winks at this
contraband trade, II it does not surpass modest
bounds. A tyrannical leader arrests the pri-
vateer's lady and her partner, loses ais own
temper and causes others to got angry, whereas
ne should use all emily.
ANOTHER CRIME OF LEADERSHIP
II to permit the court fAvoritss to have more
turns than they are entitled to. These things
are self-evident In Q ball room, that all people
are equal and have equal right to dance whom
their turn comes arc und The secret of de
Payntsr's success lies in the fact that be IL
quick and consequently enlivening. You come
10 german 70 dance, not to talk. Your only
chance for Conversation Is when others are
dancing and then you don't feel like it, because
you are probably on the qui vive waiting to he
asked to dance. But when you have to wait
and walt merely because the leader 10 ne elect.
ing ms duty, you conclude that . germ il