Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-10-06
DANCE OF DEATH
DRsSTALMAeE FINDS A WARNING IN
THE DAUGHTER OF hEROOAs.

DaHcing Might Not BE Sinful In Som
Cascs, but In All Ages 1t Has Been AS
sociatcd With the Lower Forms Of Dis
sipation.
BROOKLYN. Sept 9O.-Rev. Dr. Tai
mage. who is still absent on his rount
thesworld tour, has selected as tho sub
ject Of todny's sermon through the
press 1.-THE Quick Feet. the text ohoser
being Matthew xiv, 8, when Herod'
birthday was kept. the daughter of He
rodias danced before them and pleased
Herod. -
It is the anniversary of Herod s birth.
day. The palace Is lighted. Tho high
ways leading thereto are all ablaze with
the pomp of invited guests Lords. cup.
tains, merchant princes, the mighty
men Of tho land, ore coming to mingle
IN tho festivities The table is spread
with all the luxuries that royal purvey-
ors can gather. The guest, white robed
and ianointed and pelfnmed, come in and
sit ut the table Music The jests evoke
roars of laughter Riddles are PROFOUND
cd. Ropartee is INDUCED. Toasts are
drunk The brain is befoggod The wit
rolls on into uproar and blasphelny.
They are not satisfied yet Turn on
moro light Pour out more wine. Mu-
sic Sound all the trumpets. Clear the
floor for a dance Bring in Salome, the
beautiful and accomplished princess.
Tho door opens, and in bounds the dan.
Ger. The lords are enchanted.
Stand back and make room for the
brilliant gyrations These men never
saw such poetry Of motion. Their
soulwhirls III the reel and bounds with
the bounding feet Herod forgets crown
and throne and everything but the fas
cinations of Salome All the magnifi-
ccnco of his realm Is as nothing now
compared with the splendor that whirls
on tiptoe before him. His body sways
from side to sidA corresponding with
tho motions of the enohantress. His
soul Is thrilled with the pulsations of
tho feet and bewitched with the taking
postures and attitudes more and; more
amazing. After awhile he sits In en-
chanted silence looking at the flashing,
leaping, bounding beauty, and as the
dance closes and the tinkling cymbals
cease to clap and tho thunders of ap-
plause that shook the palace begin to
abate the enchanted monarch swears to
tho princely performer, Whatsoever
thou shalt ask of me l will giveit thee, to
the half of my kingdom Now, therewas
in prison at that time minister Of the
gospel Of the name Of John the Baptist,
and he had been making great deal Of
trouble by preaching some very plain
and honest sermons he had denounced
the sins of tho king and brought down
upon him tho wrath of the females Of
the royal household. At the instigation
Of her mother Salome takes advantage
Of the extravagant promise of the king
g. - rs read of S,trI. "a re1eh''
Hark to the sound Of feet outside the
door and the CHATTER of swordsi The ex-
ecutioners are returning from their aw-
full errand. Open the doorl They enter,
and they present the platter to Salome-
What is on this platter? A new glass
of wine to continue the uproarious MGR
riment? No Something redder and
costlier-the CHASTITY. bleeding head Of
John the Baptist, the death glare still
In the eye, the locks dsbbled with the
gore, the features still distressed with
the last agony.
This woman, who had whirled so
gracefully in the dance, bonds over the
awful burden without shudder. She
gloas over tho blood, and with as much
as waiting maid might
take tray Of empty glassware out OF
tho room after an entertainment Salome
carries the discovered head Of John the
BAPTIST, while all the banqueters shout
with laughter and think it a good joke
that in so easy and quick q way they
have got rid Of an earnest and outspo-
ken minister Of the gospel.
YIN will all admit, whatever you
thim of that style Of amusement and
exorise, that from many cicrles it has
crowded out all Intelligent CONVERSE
tor You will also admit that it has
maze the condition Of those who do
not dance either because they do not
kno7 how or because they have not the
heath 60 endure 1t or because through
conscientious scruples they must decline
the exercise very uncomfortable You
willalso admit, oil Of you, that 1t has
passd in many cases from an amuse-
men to dissipation, and you are east
ly alo to understand the bewilderment
of til educated Chinaman. who, stand
ing the brilliant circle where there
was lancing going OH four or Ave hours
and he guests seemed exhausted, turn
ed I the proprietor Of the house and
said Why don't you allow your SCR
vant)to do this for you?"
the AbolninabIo Round Dance.
Va are also willing to admit, what
everbe your idea in regard TO the
amuement 1 am speaking of, and what.
ever 70 your idea of the old fashioned
soua. dance, and Of many of the pro-
cessinal romps in which l can see no
evilIhe round dance is administrative
of e1 aud ought to be driven out of
all ppectable circles. I am by natural
temrament and religious theory OPP
pose to the position taken by all those
who Ire Mortified at playfulness on the
partf the young and who think that
all destions are neutrality-suspicious. of
decay and morals--by the position OF
the cot, while, on the other hand, l
can 10 nothing but ruin, temporal and
oterIl, for those who go into the dissi.
paths of social life-dissipations
Will have already despoiled thousands
of yng men and young women OF Oil
that noble in character and useful Ill
Tho Old Time Dance.
Doing is the graceful motion of the
bodJdjusted by art to the sound and
meare of musical instrument or OF the
hum voice All nations have danced
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