The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-27
THE SARATOGA HOP.
WILLIAM D. HowELLS DESCRIBES THE
GAY FUNCTION.

fury, contains the following description
of that important social furction, u
Saratoga hop:
She and the evening were equally fit
ted for the event TO which they seemed
equally dedicated. The dancing was to
be out of doors on a vast planking. o.
platform, set up in the heart of that
bosky court which the hotel incloses
Around this platform dropped tho slim.
tall Saratogan trees, and over il hung
the Saratogan sky, of nocturnal blue
very rare in our latitude, with the stars
faint in its depths, and by and by
white moon that permitted itself
modest competition with the electric
lights effulgent everywhere. There was
great crowd of people in the portico.
the vestibule and the inner piazzas and
on the lawn around the platform, where
"the trodden weed" sent up the sweet
scent Of bruised grass in the cool night
air. My foolish old heart bounded with
a pulse of youth at the thought of all
the gay and tender possibilities of such
/ scene.
But the young people under my care
seemed in no haste to mingle in il. We
| oldsters are always fancying youth inn
| patient. but there is no time of life
which has so much patience 1t behaves
as II IL had eternity before it--an eter-
nifty of youth-instead Of "a few days
and years and then the frosty pow. We
who are young no longer think we
would do so and so if we were young,
as women think they would do so and
so il they We're men, but if we were
really young again we should not do at
all what we tn ink.
We should not hurry TO experience
our emotions; we should not press for.
ward TO discharge our duties or repair |
our mistakes; we should not seize the |
occasion TO make friend or reconcile |
an enemy; we should let weeks and |
months go by in the realization of "a
passion and trust all sorts of contingen. |
cies and accidents TO help us out with |
its confession. The thoughts of youth |
are very long, and its conclusions are |
deliberate and delayed aud often with |
held altogether II is age which is trem-
ulously eager in these matters and can
not wait with the fine patience of ma
ture in her growing moods.
As soon even as was in the hotel |
was impatient TO press through to the
place where the dancing was, and
where l already heard the band play
ing. / knew very we'll that when we
got there l should have 10 sit down
somewhere on the edge of the platform
with the other frumps and fogies and
begin taking cold in my dress coat and
want TO doze Off without being able TO,
while my young people were waltzing
together or else promenading up and
down, ignoring me or recognizing me by |
the offer of fan and the question |
whether was not simply melting
have seen how the poor chaperon fares
at such times. But they, secure of their ,
fun, were by no means DESTROYS TO have |
it over or even to have il begin. They
dawdled through the thronged hotel
Office, where other irresponsible pairs |
were coming and going under the adj
miring eyes of the hotel loungers, and |
they wandered up and down the waste
parlors and sat on tete-a-tetes Just to
try them apparently, and Miss Gage
II
was reflected in all eyes. They amused :
themselves with the extent of the richly ,
carpeted and upholstered desolatIon
around them, where only few lonely
and aging women lurked about on sofas
and ottomans, and they fell to play ing
with their compassion for the plebeian
spectators at the long veranda windows
trying to penetrate with their forbidden
eyes to the hop going on in the court
far beyond the Intermediary desert of
he parlors.
When they sigDifed at last that they
were ready for me TO lead them on 10 q
the dance, would 80 much rather have e
gone to bed that there are no words for |
he comparison. Then, when we got 10
he place, which l should never have 4
'een able to reach in the world if il had
lot been for the young energy and in.
piration Of Hendricks, and they had
Iut me IN certain seat with Miss
iage's wraps beside me where they ID
ould find me, they went off and danced n
or hours and hours. For hours and L
iours' For ages and ages, while with. y
red away amid moldering mothers and | d
aw my charges through the dreadful
Ialf dreams of such a state whirlipp i'm
he waltz, hopping in the polka, sliding
the galop and then endlessly walk
ny up and down between the dances
nd eating and drinking the chill re-
reshments that it made my teeth chat
er to think Of
l suppose they decently came to me-
rom time to time, though they seemed
be always dancing, for could after. o,
'ard remember Miss Gage taking a I'll
rap from me now and then, and quick CT
coming back to shed it upon my lap q,
gain. got so chilled that if they had
OF been Enthusiastically women's wraps 4,
Should have bundled them all about '.
" shoulders, which ! could almost 81
ear creak with rheumatism. l must r
ave fallen into sort of browse at last,
Dr. was having a dispute with some "
'rt OF authority. which turned out to
Mrs. March, and upbraiding her with
10 fact that there were no women's
raps which would also do for man,
hen the young people stood arm in
RIM heforp mo aud Mics Caoa uaiI that L