Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-01-15

ger OF DelnB SuTleIOeu WlUu Cncdp pldyS
that take the peoples money and leave
the , poorer both financially and NOR
ally. The managers are not altogeth-
er to blame for this staee Of affairs. /
believe they would be willing to put
fewer plays upon the stage and inn
rove the quality IL the people de-
manded it and would support them.
However that may be, the matter is in
the hands OF the community and II can
determine what the future shall bring
forth by the manner in which 1t be-
slows patronage.
The, church for ages has tried the
policy of opposition, and 1t has utterly
failed. l believe discrimination is the
true way. have been benefited more
seeing Edwin Booth in Hamlet than
by hearing Sam Jones. On the other
hand ! have been benefited more by
hearing Phillip Brooks than by seeing
Thomas w. Keene in 0thello. l asso-
ciate these names that may the more
effectualy emphasizes the principle of
discrimination,
In regard to dancing, the town has a
serious problem on its hands. Like all
other amusements it has its place; but
its justification must be found in wis
dom and temperance. There may be
exceptions; but as a rule lay 1t down
as a proposition that cannot be easily
overturned that dancing after twelve
o'clock at night is wrong IT then
ceases to be recreation and exhausts
forces that are needed, not in play, but
in the actual work of life. Dancing is
no new thing anu no matter what may
be said against 1t, people will dance for
many years to come, and l am perfect
them to dance to their own undoing
any more than / want friend to kill
himself over eating. If could get the
ears of dancing people, and dancing
teachers particularly, should like to
urge them to insist upon reasonable
hours. Otherwise harm will hssult,
not because people dance, but because
they dance to excess.
AS to what constitutes reasonable
hours, would say 1t must be rare
occasion when one can afford to be out
of bed at twelve o'clock at night for
the sake of dancing Then if | could
get the ears of the young ladies of
Marietta l would like to whisper to
them that in the long run they them
selves will determine the esteem in
which the young men will hold them,
and that if young man becomes SO
ungentlemanly as to take the slightest
ry undue familiarity let him in some
severe way be taught a lesson that he
will never forget. He will think more
highly of you the next day for it. l
am impressed with the thought that
mere is more occasion for this warn
ing than many girls think, and | hope
it will be accepted.
Some years of careful observation
have enabled me to tell pretty accur-
ately | think, when well meaning
young people are unconsciously ap-
preaching the danger line.
And now with an appeal to the peo-
pie who dance, play cards and go to
the theatre, l will bring my homily to
close Because of the reaction ala
ready indicated, this is a critical per-
lod in the social life of our town I'm
less you are wise in directing and re-
straining, we may be plunged into a
mad whirlpool of excesses in which
many of the fair daughters and prom
lsing sons of Marietta will be sub
merged. You are in a position just
now to do better service by insist
ing upon temperance and discrlmina-
tion in these matters than can be done
by all the preachers of the town.
ALFRED.