The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-24
A SMALL MATTER, But WORTH AT
TE>JIO>.


jcct discussed in the following article
which we copy from the Chicago Her
aid. but the happiness and comfort oil an
the people are the care of the ilineS'
and that large part of the community
which attends germans may very wen
expect that The Times Will have an eye
upon their interests also. The Hera'u
article is as follows
There will come a time when the Gus,
toms Of our day in hrst-class society VIII
seem as barbaTous 10 following genera
items as some bygOnD foilics 90 10 us anu
one OF the social habits which viii stand
out as most cruel, superiiuous, and Vul-
gar is that of favor giving IN the CO.
tllon.
The introduction Of the cotil,On In this
country took place under a rnisnOmcr
years ego. aud for long time the dance
was called the german REFINED par
ems who sent their small children To
dancing scLools twenty five or thirty
years ago or so might have nippe' Toe
invidiOus distribution OF faNors IN the
bud: but they did not d. fl. and tender
hoi rtod httlo girls of plain propensites
and poor Waiting powers were render
cd miserable by what TO them meant Nv
ing dis gracc-namely. open neglect When
one child accumulated as many trinkets,
ribbons bouquets and gewgaws as she
could stagger under she Haunted them
in the face of the child who had none.
or II now and then Il tenIer-hcarted re-
cipient Of many favors bestowed one on
a less favored little fri nd, thc lestOwal
was iu itself a disgrace rhc whole sys-
TEN was essentially and intrnsicaliy
wrong.
But it has been allowed to flourish; no
"grown-up" bah has Deon considered COM
plcte without cotilliOn for years. There
has been more heartburning on the SUBJ
ioct of cotilOns. and there have been
more scalding tears shed by favorlcss
ladies than sensible people, who do not
60 to balls. will believe. Again and
again mortified and Inundated young
women have been found hiding in dress
ing-rooms because they have had no part
ners or going home with pretended
headaches in the middle of the dance be-
cause they have had no favors. Ana
laugh AT such childish folly as the phi
losopher may. it is not difficult TO sec
why. when so much stress is put upon
bellcship the lack Of it should not sting
the unsuccessful candidate for IL.
The latest development In the vulgar
sport comes in the shape Of announce
ments among fashionable news items
from Newport that favors We're stolen by
some ladies' from others al the Wander
bilt and Belmont balls this summer.
Comment is superfiuOus There Is no
knowing 10 what petty crimes wounded
vanity will lead women; and the rcspon-
sibilitv lies with a society which insti-
tutes and supports rudeness TO invited
guests i'm its code. That any woman
should be allowed to suffer an uncom-
Portable instant IN a house 10 which she
has been asked is in itself abnormal and
atrocious But that there is acute suffer
ing among sensitive women on account
of conspicuous overlooking is we'll
known fact which needs no attestng
when they are driven TO petty larceny by
its tortures.
The german" or the "cotillion' as the
Herald pref rs to call it. is an institution
for amusing and interesting young socie-
ty people. when conducted according 70
its original design. that is far ahead Of
any 9th scheme Of the sort that the
world has ever known. Young gentlemen
and young ladies fond Of Waiting (and
none ever lived that knew how that we're
noD, are afforded an opportunity by it TO
indulge IN their fayorite pastime under
circumstances tha: make ii yield them
far more pleasure than society
can i'm any other way. The ger
man." pure and simple and with
none of the vulgar attachments that
snobs have added to it. is the most
innocent, the most health-giving. and
the most delightful social ordinance
that has ever been established. But the
favor" idea is foreign to its origin and
nature, is a fungus growth upon it, and
goes long way toward turning it from
tne simple scheme of amusement that II
should be. into an institution fashioned
after the model Of a Comanche war
dance. That feature is just as savage
aad cruel in its inspiration as the idea
Of the Comanches to give the great
est number Of scalps to their best per
formers.
But what We most object 10 IN it is
the use now made of it by vulgar snobs
10 u rust their wealth of lsiyely into
the face OF their guests. such an indi-
yidual gives a german" that he may
distribute amongst those he invites to it
costly gifts unlcr the appellau0n Of ger
man favors," and this is done, not be
cause he has the smallest fee.ing o. kind
css towards those upon whom he bee
slows his gifts. but that he may make
an cstcutaiious display Of his wealth
and have society" 10 talk Of the pro-
fuscnoss aud libcraliiy o. Mr.. y. And
thus what was never intended TO be
NOR than an nrocent means of a loving
swain testifying his alteration for his
namorata, has grown into fJlsome ana
distinguishing measure for vulgar people
with more money than manners, OFFENDING
good taste and defying all social law.
The German Committees would do
we'll to revise this subject and take mea-
suros for disseminating the favor" nui-
sance.
--------
4 BAD NOV l..
We read with great regret in Sundays
Times that a meeting of sereLty-hvc or
a hundred citizens mad been held sat
..,.1.... rf.at 14H t.ut Nf.st, sty..f