The age-herald., 1898-05-22
The Effect of Terpsichorean
 Effort on Modern Politics
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As Is well known to Birmingham society. dancing classes are among the latest and most popular fads, with charming sad fas- chatting young matrons and their hus- bands.
 One of these classes meets every Thurs day evening at one of the prettiest of South Highland homes, and the members never permit any other pleasure or enticement 10 interfere with their prompt and regular attendance And no wonder, for the meet ings of the South Highland Dancing club has become bewitching Social functions, where music, refreshments and every other incidental pleasure. combine to bring unalloyed joy and happiness to the students of the Terpsichorean art
 Of course, in a class numbering twenty five or more, there are some men who have been so engrossed of late in the cares of business that they have been neglectful' or the latest styles of dancing, and have be- come indifferent to acquiring the most fashionable and swagger two-step. These men have Ignored dancing for several years regarding 1t as beneath their hnan- cial and political dignity; some have gone so far as to commend the Shah Of Persia, who ridiculed modern dancing as form of labor and who rejoiced that in his coun- try men were hired for such gymnastic ex- ercise But these men reckoned without proper appreciation of life's varying for tunes, which, like the ebbing tide, come and go unbidden.
 With recent incoming tide some of the young bankers. loungers, newspaper men, politicians and business men swept on their feet and before they realized what had happened, they had landed right Tn the midst of the dancing classi This has prov en eminently satisfactory to every one or them. and for several weeks finance. poi ties war news, etc., hay been made subse- qnent to their struggles W tn the inevitao e two-step. This same two-step looks all right to the calm observer, who Is comfort ably seated in a nice, good chair near a cool window these sultry May evenings, but the two-step is a delusion and snare, as some of the masculine members of the dancing class can testify.
 One spec'al member, prominent, sue cessful lawyer, has struggled manfully pa- tiently for several weeks to acquire the two-step He has coaxed cajoled and dealt tactfully with the enjoyable thing, but 1t has eluded him, like the will O wisp, until he became distract, and his legal business was in danger of being neglected. His friends observed the change in him, and feared that he was threatened with fvphod or contemplated going to the war They needed his counsels in political mat ters: they wanted his advice about legal questions. and yet he was evidently on the brink of a serious collapse, After consult- ing toge her one who had loved him long and well offered to discover the a"fui truth. whatever 1t might be; anything was botter than supense So, on the corner or First avenue and Twentieth street this faithful man waited yesterday morning un- tjl he saw his legal friend alight rom the South Highland car He was not any thin ner than usaul, but oh, so pale and hope less was his face With temerty born of affection the waiting man approached the lawyer, and gently questioned him reeard- ing legal matter. hoping to divert h m He replied in a far-away manner that alarmed his friend, who began to talk poll ties and ask his advice, knowing or h's fancy for the study of the theory of gov ernment. For a moment the lawyers face frightened perceptfbly. when the same sad, bopeIess look returned. and, with impa- Yinece he exclaimed: T do not know thing about either politics or law; they 1n- terest me no longer: they are things Of the mast like peace and prosperity; have only ,oe aim and object in life, and that IS to .naster the two-step. I danced with the class Thursdav night and in the qu'etude of my home practiced all last night, but still am not able to give the right swing like Cray or Crawford. But mean to con- ouer if it takes me all summer. Tell the bovs T am all right, except that l nave fallen a victim to the two-step. That's the onIv isue on the South Highlands now.
 The friend turned mournfully away re- ,,orted his interview. and is now trying to devise some means with which to rescue the man he loves and whose life Is Of value to his State. from the bewildering fascina- tions of the two-step.