The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-09

Perhaps the most conspicuous feature
of Mrs. spink's Easter ball at Infantry
Hall. last evening. was the revival and
Introduction of the dance known as
Smiths First Sett" In reviving and
presenting this old dance which was a
feature of the balls As far back as lol2,
Mrs Sphinx had a two-fold purpose.
First it was 10 do honor To the venera-
BILE and distinguished guest of the even
ing, Mr.. Samuel Foster. and second, TO
give a realistic picture OF the great balls
which were held i'm this city i'm the early
days OF the century
Mr. Foster occupied seat upon the
platform where ne could command "A full
view OF the brilliant scene before him.
and few indeed I'm that company would
have guessed that he nad seen almost
a century of years. His face lighted up.
however. as he beheld the picture and
in retrospection recalled the dance OF
the long ago. when. in 1920 he himself
enjoyed its stately measures I'm company
with some brilliant belle OF that period.
During the early hours of the evening
Mrs. Sphinx approached Mr. Foster and
gracefully presented him to the great
company. adding that as he had made
her so happy by his presence and inter
est. IL was her great delight 10 make
him happy by the presentation of his IA
voritc dance. Sixty children, who had
been drilled long and patiently by Mrs.
Sphinx. then went through the figures of
the dance with presumably as much grace
as did their ancestors of yore.
Among the dancers were the descend
ants OF those who had danced the same
figures and 10 the same music I'm the years
when the century was young.
In an interview with Mr.. Foster, yes-
terday. regarding the revival of Smiths
First Sett,' something OF its history was
CLEANED
II danced It Rrst." he said I'm lS20 In
those days you know, we had no round
dances IN good society, for they were
not considered at all respectable, What
We had were the different square dances
and they We're called 'cotillions.
'ln those day" continued the speaker,
"ail the great balls OF Providence
We're held in what was known a. 'WaslI
ington's hall This was az ,rljunct OF
Aldrtch's Tavern and stood In the rear
"Aldrich's Tavern stood near by the
present~Site of the Banigan building.
We I'D In those days said Mr.. Fos-
ter. "a lawyer here by the name Of smith
and he IL was who invented the dance
which was caiieo in hts honor, Smith
First Sett' 80
Here Mr. Foster waxed reminiscent. as
he allowed his vivid memory TO wander
back TO the days OF his youth. WHY
SAID ne, let me see, there was George W.
Taylor OF the concern OF Andrew Taylor
& Sons, wholesale grocers then there
was Cornelius @. Fenner, q manufacturer
aud George. w Curtis. the father ot the
famous writer ana journalist Those
were the three men who managed all our
big balls.
How well do ! remember Eliza Al
drich. unused the old geutlemaly She
was daughter of the owner OF Aldrich's
Tavern, and she was the belle of all our
balls; she was the most bCauiifl' woman
in Providence. she was beautifu as long
as she lived. She married stephen Wa
terman and he took her, as bride to the
house which is now Mrs. Sphinx acad-
emy. and she livgd there until she died.
Eliza Wsterman's daughter" continued
Mr.. Foster married into the well known
Mason family OF the east side and her
great grandchildren are members OF Mrg.
Spink's classes today and dance IN the
halls. which their .grandmother graced In
The long ago. kevcrting stlii 20 tho
past. Mr. Foster said that ir the days
of which he spoke there were but 10 so
lnha habitants IN this city There was no
East Pro, idencc. no North Providence
no Olnevvllc." he said "aud our cNclu-
sivc society did not include q very large
number
we all attended dancing school There
was but one. and this wes in Shaners
haN. p little low modern building oupo-
site Aldrich'e Tavern Shancr was a
French dancing master and hc Was a
good ndilef TOO. and when We Cid not
10 well. how he would thump that old
violin"
Mr.. Foster was most happv iu his por-
traSal oi the past aud dccloscd thSt de-