The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-03

The disease began very much like
an epileptic CONFUSION, but its symp-
toms varied according to the temper
ament of the person attacked. So
great was the number Of victims to
this disease alat the whole people of
Central Europe were aroused by its
unseemly spectacles. Masses were
said for those stricken, hymns
were sung, and religious
professions were everywhere insti-
tuted. A specific ordinance was
passed that non but square toed
shoes should be made. because these
fanatics had manifested a morbid dis
like TO the pointed shoes which had
come into fashion Immediately after
the Great Mortality in 1885," Red
colors aud the sight of persons weep
ing were things specially hateful to
| those who had this disease. and such
sp~ectacles were kept out of their sight.
The malady lasted nearly a year. in
spite of the priestly exorcisms which
were employed against it. Peasants
and mechanics, girls and boys, and a
large number of women, were among
those who Joined in 1.-The wild revels"
of the dancers, and went about from
town to town spreading the infection.
In a spasmodic way, and at intervals,
the disease broke ont rom time to time
as late as the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. Paracesus, in his Book OF
Madness speaks of this disease; and
Felix Platernus tells of "a woma in
Basic whom he saw that danced a
whole month together" 1t was named
! st. Vitus's Dance because those
afflicted with it went to this saint for
help in allaying it. This st.
Vitus was a Sicilian youth
who suffered martyrdom in the
year 303 under Diocletian. just be-
| fore he fell beneath the sword-so a
legend says-he offered up a prayer
/ that he might be protected from the
Dancing Mania, which it was said
existed at that age, and ~thereppon a
voice from heaven was heard, saying,
''Vitus, thy prayer is accepted
Frank Leslie'S Magazine.
For Little Women.
Little women with large heads very
| often think they will look taller if
they wear large hats and fluffy ar
rangement OF the hair. This is q
fallacy, and instead of looking taller
they will only appear the shorter.
The reason is very simple. Their
height is only about six lengths of the
head. Naturally, by increasing the
size OF the head the disproportion will
be greater, as then their figure will
appear to be only five times the
length Of their head. Little women
should wear small hats and simple
hair dress.
Patches for Beauties.
The prediction of the American
duchesses, their Graces of MARI
borough and Manchester, to wear
matches on their cheeks and shoulders
has reused the Photographer into an
ecdotes on the origin of patches. Ac-
cording to an old French story,
patches" seem to have been invent
ed and first worn by the devil, and
to have been brought into fashion by
his sworn friend. Ninon de L'Enclos,
one of the most noted demimondaines
of the period of Louis XIV of France.
who Thought as Epicurus and lived
as Lais."
Ninon was born in 1916, lost her par
ents in 1851, and found herself in the
possession of a good income and of re-
markable beauty. 1t is we'll known
she then determined on a life of pleas
ure, unfettered by any moral r~estric-
lions, and that she persevered in this
course of life, and retained the APP
pearance of youth up to her death,
which happened in 1706. when she
was in her ninetieth year.
In the year 1888 she received q visit
from a stranger, who declined to sen d
in his name. and was al first refused
admission until, by exciting her
curiosity as TO the object of his visit,
she at last consented to receive him.
He was dressed in black, without q
sword, and wore a black patch on his
forehead; in his left hand he carried
a slender cane. He told her that
he was a man whom the
earth obeyed"; that "he had
presided at her BIRTH aud that
1.-THE lot of mortals depended upon
his nod" and he offered her the
choice of three things:-''supreme
honors, immense riches, or eternal
beauty. and added that during the
six thousand years he had perambu-
lated the globe he had only found
four people that he had deemed
worthy OF a similar Offer" and that
these were 'SemiraInis, Cleopatra,
Helen and Diana OF Poictiers.n
Ninon accepted everlasting beau
ty."' She had a second visit from her
benefactor. who forced his way into
I 49, .;.l~ .N~.., ~.i.o~ -. .-o.