The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-24
ETCHINdS FROM
CURRENT TOPICS

that come of poverty, and one of these
is the necessity for occupation. To be
sure, no one is particularly anxious to be
always busy; to never have a spare mo-
m=nt when the tired body and brain
can be relaxed; but one is reconcile to
a strain, when one reads Of the diver
sons which now engross the stalwart
men and beautiful women of New Yori's
exclusive set. These INDUCED represent
atives of class, which has had great
ness thrust upon 1T through th= possess
sion of millions, acquired in the vari-
Gus branches of trade have grown some
what fatigued with the ordinary forms
Of amusement. Tennis, golf, cycling.
boating, cross country riding, and even
bathing in the sands on the seashore in
Abbreviated costumes, have all grown
wearlsome to these seekers after pleas
ure. Something new had to be found,
for their diversion; they were satisfied,
ennuied and weared and tagged their
restless natures craved SOMETHING differ
ent, something new. It Is a fortunate
moment, some one with the inspiration
that comes of genius. remembered that
thsre was yet one form of entertain
nent remaining untried with these pet
ted sons and daughters of millionaire
fathers, and, that was the cake walk.
The suggestion was hailed with delight;
enthusiasm over tbs elevating and inn
proving diversion spread more rapidly
than forest fires, and before the minds
of the entire four hundred could grasp
the stupendous proposition, such arc
lights in the social world as Mr.. and
Mrs Ogden Mills Mr. and Mrs o. H. p.
Belmont, and others, were .practictng
for the first cake walk, which would
give a fresh delight to surfeited New
port society. But try as hard as they
could, walk as hong as they might, 1t
was not possible to acquire just the
swagger and swing that rightly belongs
to the cake walk. 1t just would not
come with practice, for cake walkers are
born, not made. and they are born in
this section with compilations that leave
no doubt as to the blood.
But the average northern swell, male
and female, Is not easily overcome, or
defeated, so it has been decided to have
photographs taken of the genuine, the
great, original cake walkers, and then
renew the practice, with the pictures as
guilds, towards perfection. If these ex-
elusive social leaders will only send to
the impecunious south they might secure
a few genuine cake walkers who would
gladly spend short while at Newport,
until the smallpox scare and compulsory
vaccination are things of the past. The
men and women of the south are yet too
impoverished to invest largely in Wallets,
and French maids, but, they are to be
congratulated that they have not time
to indulge in such amusements as cake
walking. AS the shah of Persia said
about dancing, VIE have our cake-walk-
ing done for us.
It is not an easy matter to get the best
of any woman, or set of women, even
with the enactment of stringent laws,
and Atlanta women are in nowise ex-
ceptions to this proposition. Only few
days ago, with a buster and blare Of
trumpets, figuratively speaking, the city
council of Atlanta declared that women
should not wear any form of headgear,
no matter how harmless, into the the
aters and opera houses, and, heavy fines
and penalties were attached to an in
fringement of this law. All the newrpa-
pers heralded the glad tidings abroad:
every town was anxious to have the
same measures passed by it's city coun-
Gil, anu the great evil Ol ildtS at Ihe tue~
aters seem to have passed away as quiet
ly as a. summer cloud. But, not SO; the
hats may be banished but with them
will also go that other greater nuisance.
the going out-b=.tween-acts! The At
lanta women were willing to sacrifice
their pretty millinery to the public good,
but they are not willing DO sit barehead-
ed in the boxes, parquet or dress circle.
and be crawled over by men who insist
upon going out as soon as the curtain
falls, to explore some unknown region,
where mysterious, much-wanted men
seem to stay. and then return flushed
with success, to crawl again over help
less women into their seats. So the city
council of Atlanta has been petitionsd
by the women of the city to abate the
going -out-between-acts nuisance. The
Atlanta women are right, eminently
right, and it is to be hoped they will
win their fight
After the hats have been dispensed
with and the going out to see a man"
prohibited, perhaps the owners of the
aters and opera houses will have the
temerity to adopt some plan that will
compel audiences to assemble previous
to enc raising of the curtain, on the first
act. There are few things SO annoying,
certainly very few 50 indicative of bad
breeding, as the going into an opera
house after play is well advanced,
thereby disturbing an audience of Gull
tivated people, who had an object in
being present beyond that of displaying
a new dress, or fresh millinery creation.
A law to enforce the assembling of au-
diences previous to the raising of the
curtain Is as much needed as that
against theater hats, or the offense of
ACKNOWLEDGMENT the acts.
BALL.