Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-15
THREE CENTURIES OF AGE
Social Society in Charleston Keeps
Up the Traditions and its
Rigid Rules.

The Dancing assemblies OF Philadelphia
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 in 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 managers
of the st. Cecilia have borne the same
names as the original managers. When
one died another of the same name was
put in his place. II 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 firtations. coy cor
ner tete-a-tetes, are simply not allowed
One woman, known throughout American
society as one Of the potential leaders
Of the smart Newport set, thought herself
above the traditions OF the Carolina ball.
! She was a guest at this dance when in
Charleston and began the evening by sit
ting out dances In secluded corners outside
| the ball room. Comment ran rife. The
sixteen managers consulted together. The
! president, a man Of great manner and I'M
| failing 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 COM
meat she brought upon herself by breaking
the best known rule of the society. She
was inclined to be ungracious about it. and
intimated that the managers were old
fogies.
1T is done In London and New York"
she defantly said.
But not in Charleston, madam, q"
answered the president, as he offered her
his arm, which he never removed until
she took It. He then led her back TO the
ball room and offered her a chair.
The president always leads the march
to supper with the newest bride Sup
per is served promptly at midnight, and
the ball opens at the early hour of 9
O'Clock. The men arrive earlier. for the
| social conditions are such in the south
that there are more men than women,
and IL they indulge in the foolish eastern
habit Of arriving Just before midnight
they haven't chance Of finding a single
partner through the evening.
During. the hardships OF the civil war
and privations of the reconstruction the
men abandoned dress suits for these
dances. They wore what they could find
Purple and fine linen had disappeared and
II the men who hadn't patched gray uni.
forms could get whole suits Of unbleached
Macon mills cloth. with buttons OF gourd
seeds in some cases. they were gay
about It,
A 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 pres.
ent who do not attend other entertain.
ments. What would the ST. Cecilians do
without Mr.. Smith. Turkey Tail Smith,
as he has been called for decades-a nick
name 10 which he does not obiect9 Genia
and kindly, he is part OF the atmosphere
always tanning himself and his partner
with turkey tail fan.
Many a lovely bride treasures his gif
OF such fan. sad. sad the Ignorance OF
the east and west where the people know
not what love and laughter, what IimpiS
eyes and charming mouths arc sugKestet
by the turkey tail fan Of Dixie.-Ainsles'l
Magazine