Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-26
such request is refused, for ones list may be

priety for gentlemen to smoke in the dress
ing rooms. At public balls there should bt
managers, ushers, stewards, and if possible
q committee Of ladies to receive. It is much
more conducive to the elegance and respect
ability of ball, if there are ladies who
assume the role of hostess for the evening.
An awning and a carpet should be placed
at the front entrance of house in which q
ball is to be given, to protect the guests
against the weather and the gaze of the
crowd of bystanders who are always on the
watch in great city to see the well-dresssd
| ladies alight.
Garden parties are becoming very fash
ionable at Newport, Bar Harbor and in our
rural cities, and at country houses which
are accessible to town. When invitations
are sent from, such place card should be
inclosed stating the hour at which trains
leave, which train or boat to take, also "car-
riage will meet the 2 o'clock train from such
a station" all desirable information. A
hostess should have her lawn tennis court
| in order, the croquet laid out, the archery
| tools In place, so that her guests may amuse
| themselves. Sometimes a platform is laid
for dancing; but whether there is dancing or
not band of music is very great addition
to the pleasure of a garden party. If a
rejection is served out OF doors all the dishes
must be cold. Coffee and tea are served in
the house for those who wish them.
A Play in the Open Air.
Now that hunting is so much the fashion,
now that women enter SO very much into
sport, it is part of our universal season to
give hunt balls, and hunt breakfasts, which
really resemble garden party at the vari-
GUS hospltable country houses and club
houses near the large cities. The garden
party requires more management on the
part of the hostess. People not accustomed
to them get stranded and find them dull.
The servants, too, must be well trained and
preserve the good appearance of the table
and the feast. No doubt the garden party
is troublesome fair, but when once inau-
gurated it is very we'll worth the trouble.
In England they have added on the giving
of a play In the open air. "As You Like
1t" and the midsummer Nights Dream"
have been successful. Some Of the villa
owners about the great cities have made of
their country places terrestrial paradise by
these festivities.
Then, to add hunting to the charms ofour
perennial season, what is required? 1t is a
very expensive thing to be Diana. What
does young girl need who rides to
hounds?" For Diana no longer hunts on
foot as she did in the days OF A cteon. She
must have two thoroughbred huntersj she
must have q groom, an English habit,
carefully considered outfit; she must be
well-taught and fearless horsewoman.
Tho Hunt Has It's Risks.
The men in this country hunt in pink, as
they call bright scarlet coats in England.
They have a master of the hounds, lofty
creature who saysl "Ladies and gentlemen,
will you hunt?" Then the spotted dogs
start of, and follow over fence and over
stonewall the hunters, pretty sight. The
habit of riding every day should precede
the breakneck jump. No one should pre-
tend to hunt who has not good seat, good
horse and pleRty of nerve. The terrible ac-
cidents, the death OF one or two prominent
members of the Queens county and Meadow
brook hunts the manning and injuring of
several ladies over the stone walls at New
port, should warn US that this is not hunt
ing country as yet.
Dancing being the favorite amusement Of
every season, and even the hunt ball now
being an institution at which. the scarlet
coats are worn, and the brush is presented
to the best rider, it may not be inappropri-
ate to say few words eabout the saluting
act. The valse deux temps keeps the pre-
cedence In Europe varied with galop, polka
"Dancing in the Barn." which Is really
Spanish dance. The minuet de la Cour Is q
most stately and beautiful dance, az 10 the
Pavanne, and worthy of study, especially
for fancy dress balls. But the german, born
at Brussels after the battle Of Waterloo,
holds Its own.
The Good Points Of the German.
This grand round quadrille, with its
many figures, was invented to bring the
whole ballroom into state of intimate
commotion, and to lead it well requires the
genius Of Wellington or q Napoleon, in
its way. 1t is the perfection of tact and
tactics. It is an allegory OF society in its
complicated and bewilderlng IMPLICATIONS
its winding aud unwinding of the tangled
chain.
In every large city set arises whose aim
Is to be exclusive. Sometimes this privilege
seems to be pushed too far. Again one is
astonished at the black sheep who leap over
tho well-defended Enclosures. In London
formerly an autooratio set OF. ladies we'll
known az Almacks turned out the Duke Of
Wellington because he came in o black |
eravat. In our republican country per- |
petual Almacks arise offensive and defen-
sive, which has its awkwardness and its ad- |
vantages. It keeps up an interest in |
society. It is like the fire In the engine, it |
makes the train move, even II it sends out |
smoke and cinders which get into peoples |
eyes and make them weep. It is part of |
the inevitable friction which accompanies |
the best machinery, and if one has patience |
the 'left out" of one winter will be the. |
"inside aristocrats" of the next, and can |
leave somebody else out.
Quadrilles, the lancers, and occasionally o |
Virginia reel are introduced to make the |
II -. II
people who cannot bear the whirl of the |
waltz to dance The elderly can dance q
quadrille without loss of breath or dignity. |
Indeed, the Americans are the only people |
who relegate the dance to the young alone.
In Europe the old gray head, the old mus
tache, leads the german. Ambassadors and |
generals, princes and potentates 60 spinning
around with gray-haired ladies until they
are 20. Grandmothers dance with their
zrapdsons. Socrates learned to dance.
In Europe it is the elderly woman who
receives the greatest attention. 1t is to be
feared that the life of chaperon in America
is not d bed of roses. Kept up late, pushed
INTO corner, the mother OF society girl
becomes only sort of head chambermaid.
Were she in Europe she would be the person
u no would receive the compliments and the
not asked to dance the german.
Society is In O transition state in America,
In one community 1t is considered proper
ior young man to call for young girl and
lrive her of alone to q bali. In another
Iociety this is considered Every bad torm."
In Europe it would be considered vulgar
madness. Therefore it is. better for the
mother to resume her rightful place as
chaperon, friend.
The Low-Necked Dress for Dancing.
Many ladies are now introducing dancing
It crowded day receptions and teas. Where
.anrla ira cnminp and oninn this In ohiae- L