The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-04
DANCING CLUBS

THREE CENTURIES OLD.
 Ainslee's for October has the follow ing to say of the St. Cecilia Society Of Charleston:
 The Dancing Assemblies of Philadel- phia and the St. Cecilia Society of Charleston, S. C., are the two oldest subscription balls in the world. Their invitations for this winter mark three centuries ir which the elect Of the Quaker and Huguenot cities have been invited to dance and to pay the fiddler.
 As near as possible the sixteen man. agers of the St. Cecilia have borne the same name as the original manag- CTS When one died another of the same name was put In his place, If he could be found in the United States. No innovation has been permitted in the management
 No one tries to break the rules, which are unique. Possibly the most peculiar one is the refusal of the managers to allow women to sit outside the ball. room with men. Stairway fiirtations, cozy- corner tete-a-tetes, are simply not allowed.
 One woman, known throughout American society as one of the poten- tial leaders of the smart Newport set, thought herself above the traditions or 4he Carolina ball. She was a guest at this dance when in Charleston, and be-
  in secluded corners outside the ball. room Comment ran rife. The sixteen managers consulted together. The president, a man of great manner and unfailing elegance, took upon himself the duty of correcting the New York woman.
 Finding her in a secluded corner. as usual. he kindly informed her of the comment she brought upon herself by breaking the best-known rule of the society. She was inclined to be un- gracious about it. and intimated that the managers were old fogies.
 Tt is done in London and New York;" she defiantly said.
 But not in Charleston, madam" am swered the president as he offered her his arm which he never removed until she took 1t. He then led her back to the ballroom and offered her a chair.
 Before each dance the orchestra gives the signal for every girl to re- turn to her chaperon. She cannot leave the man with whom she is talking to join the man to whom she has promised the next dance. This partner must go to her chaperon and await her return.
 The president always leads the march to supper with the newest bride. Sup ner is served promptly at midnight, and the ball opens at the early hour of g o'clock The men arrive earlier, for the social conditions are such in the South that there are more men than women. and If they indulge in the fooi- ish Eastern habit of arriving just be- fore midnight they haven't a chance of finding a single partner through the evening.
 During the hardships of the Civil War and privations of the reconstruc- tion the men abandonNd dress suits for these dances They wore what they could find. Purple and fine linen had disappeared, and if the men who hadn't patched gray uniforms could get whole suits of unbleached Macon mills cloth with buttons of gourd seeds in some cases, they were gay about 1t.
 part of the rare charm of the St. Cecilia dances lies in the presence of the grandmothers and grandfathers of the young set. Delightful old people are present who do not attend other entertainments. What would the St. Cecilians do without Mir. Smith. "Tur- key Tail Smith, as he has been called for decades-a nickname to which he does not object? Genial and kindly, he is a part of the atmosphere. always flaming himself and his partner with a turkey-tail fan.