Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24
THE POPULAR GERMAN
When All is Bright and Gay Within
and Cold and Cheerless Without.
HEIGHT OF THE GAY SEASON
About the German. the Most Popular Enter
tainrnent-What Constitutes q Good Leader
To Make All the Girls Belles-The Chape-
r0nes and Their Duties.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
A LADY CAME OUT FROM PARTY IN
IA Washington recently at $50 am. and her
| carriage was not there. 1t had been ordered
for midnight, go she did not wait, but threw
herself upon the mercy of a friend and the
latter took her home. The next morning she
''blew up" the coachman and threatened to dis
charge him. He is an Englishman of great
dignity and he replied to her in this wise:
Madam, I 'ope as 'ow I hain't given no
offense, but was to german night afore last
and was KEEP hup all night. and last night went
to take nap and l never woke hup till day.
light. don't get sleep enough, madam, and
that's the fact"
THE CoAcHMAN BEFORE LENT.
To modify Lord Byron's famous lines in
favor of intoxication it may be remarked that
the coachman was right and that man being
human must get sleep, and there is not much
sleep for the coachman who is attached to a
fashionable household. He is ordered for mid
night, he comes to the door, it may be snow
ing, 1t may be raining, it may be cold as
Siberia, but he must wait and wait Some
times his employers daughter keeps him wait
ing an hour. sometimes two hours and some
times he drives her home in the gray Of the
early morning. When nature asserts herself
AC oNOAhAccps uiluStlI ne Setb u DlOWlnG up.
Most tiresome things of all to the coachman are
germans, for they frequently last as long as a
session OF the United States Senate.
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
The bright lights are glistening, the music is
playing, the champagne is sparkling, every
thing is merry and everybody is in full enjoy
ment and the temperature is pleasant and
warm. Do the people ever stop and think for
moment OF the rain and sleet and bitter cold
outside? Do they remember that John, the
coachman, is there in misery and discomfort
and that he would like to be at home in bed?
No. they seldom think of John. He is paid to
be uncomfor table. But they sometimes think
| OF the horses, and for fear that they may catch
cold lady sometimes leaves her party before
she really wishes to. If John is an old family
| servant, OF course, they think of him, and they
do not dare to keep him waiting, for if they do
he will scold them. But John, as a general
thing, has pretty hard time Of it during the
season and he longs for Lent.
THE BRILLIANT GERMAN.
The season in Washington may be considered
as being at its height. Lent comes early this
year and then the gaiety is checked. Now,
therefore, is the time to make hay while the
sun is shining, for, alas, soon come the forty
| days when the brilliancy of society retires be-
hind cloud. There is nothing in society SO
brilliant as q german. The crowding of big
bail is impossible; there is room for everybody
to dance and then the figures and the favors are
beautiful But in german everything de-
ponds upon one man-the leader.
Acertain lord chief justice of England when
ever he was complimented because of his great
learning as judge used to make this response:
''Ah! but cannot make a tin cup!' Similarly
some of our most brilliant statesmen when they
receive flattering adulation from their friends
would do well if they would reply in all mod
esty and humility, "Yes. but cannot lead a
german. Many men can make tin cups and
many men can lead germans. but a good tin
smith is not to be found everywhere and good
german leader is a still rarer individual.
THE FIRST REQUISITE
is quickness. The couples ranged against the
wall are not all lions and bellies. They want to
dance and they cannot do SO unless they have
frequent turns to ''lead out" Quick leads.
recurring frequently, prevent the intolerable
boredom that falls upon couple that is not
being all the time taken out by other couples
The fact that he isn't a lion and that she isn't
belle is emphasized painfully, unless they have
opportunity of leading often. OF all leaders
qualities the one of quickness is the most
requisite and the least frequently met with.
To hustle about is not quickness, nor is ''fussy
man. often quick. There must be decision
and a preconceived plan in all a leaders mo-
tons. and this brings US to his second requi-
site.
HE MUST BE FIRM.
leader must be firm-that Is he must act
firmly. The mistake that thoss who have this
quality, and no other, make is in supposing
that tho people at a german can be ordered
about and governed as though they were the
soldiers of a regiment. If a man steals lead
spot him and pass him over when his turn
comes. If couple takes little dance out of
its turn, provided the practice does not become
general. wink at it. If scoundrel steals the
favOrs, go to the door and call the police.
There ia other for 81
rascality. The wretch who perpetrates it
should not be admitted again into ball room
But such offenses not likely to be COM
mitted when the leader is a good one. He
should intrust the favors in the hands of some
chaperone, and then none but the artfullest
of dodgers can get one, unless he is entitled to
it. But even if the favors are stolen the leader
must not lose his temper.
OF all requisites of german leadership good
nature is one of the greatest II the leader
gets mad he gets others mad and then all the
fun is over. He must resist all irregular re-
quests without getting ruffed. II you add to
all these qualities the eye of artist for arrang-
ing the people in artistic groups and a; benev-
awkward men and wall-howers the objects of
his especial care you will have an ideal leader.
He is, like ghost, thing often talked about,
but very rarely seen.
DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE.
A german is not only difficult thing to
give, but it is an expensive form of entertain
ment. All the things necessary at an ordi-
nary dancing party are necessary here, and
more beside, for the favors have to be pro-
vided. The latter may be fine and expensive
or they may be cheap. and, indeed, cheap
favors are often just as effective as expensive
ones. But still they cost something, and that
something is just SO much more than the other
party would have required. Nevertheless, OK
pensive or not, there is no dancing half 80
pleasant as the dancing at welI-managed
german. The figures are beautiful to look at
and still pleasanter to take part in. There is q
delight in being obliged to do certain things.
You cannot hold up door and have stupid
| evening. even if you wish to. You must enjoy
yourself whether you want to or not And
then the favors-bless him that gives and her
that takes, or, vice versa, her that gives and
him that takes-you have something to re-
member the occasion by, something to carry
home and show to the family the next morning
| at breakfast. II you don't get any favors-
well, that is sad, but even then it may not
have been your fault. If you get bad seat, or
il the leader Is q poor one, you can't get
favors, no matter how great favorite you may
be.
THE MUSICIANS.
That german is not pleasure to the coach
men outside has already been pointed out. It is
equally q business and not a pleasure to the
musicians inside. What q curious trade theirs
is! What do they think about all night long