Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-01

over lightly. Now is the time that it is
discovered that Myrtle did remember. to
be sure. that she had left out her dane
ing slippers. but that she had rectiied
her omission at the last moment before
leaving school by hastily and unthink-
ingly jamming two pumps into her suit
case, which, she now finds. do not match.
All such little accidents are finally
Strengthened out, and the momentary vex-
alton is forgotten in the excitement that
follows.
Dinner in the big dining room of the
hotel is in itself interesting. The So
phisticated ones who ''have been there
before" can tell the newcomers the iden-
titles of the middies dining with friends in
the self same room. The neophytes at
the altar of Mars have no occasion for
anything SO earthly as food Their din
ners receive very little attention They
gaze about the room anxious to observe
the off1cers-to-be, and also TO estimate
the danger there is to fear from the
Vaccinations of the rival beauties who
will appear later at the hop. Gowns are
critically appraised. and faces and colt
fures admired or disparaged.
No sooner have the young ladies de-
parted from the dining room than a veri-
table host of middies begin to arrive.
They bring with them the dance cards of
their partners. which. according to the
custom of the academy. have already
been made out The girls scan them with
interest and ask all sorts of questions
about the men with whom they are to
dance. The poor chaperon scurries hith-
err and thither Strengthening out her
charges. hurrying this one away for the
forgotten evening cloak and consoling
that one for the hardness of her I'M
punctual swain.
AT the Naval Academy the hops are held
at the armory The dancing floor is ac
cordingly immense. The armory itself
is massive building of large proportions.
The interior is carefully and tasteftIlly
decorated for the hops with the national
colors and the colors of the academy.
The gallery that runs along an entire side
of the interior makes a pleasant place
for the accommodation of fathers and
mothers and chaperons. from which van
taSe ground they may keep an eye on
their young charges The carefully waxed
floor seems to stretch away to immeaS sur
able distances and gives great promise of
coming terpsichorean delight.
"On With the Dance
And the promise is fulfilled. The mar
tial music of the Naval Academy band
stirs the pulses. The young ladies and
gentlemen feel as if they could waltz for
ever. After each dance the balmy south
ern climate of Annapolis permits the cou-
Piles, even late in the fall, to stroll outside
and the neighboring walks are dotted with
fair dancers and their partners Each
middle, when his dance on girls card is
finished is responsible for the production
of the next partner that between
dances the floor is animated confusion
from the hurrying to and no Of the
'mids in pursuit of the next man on
the card of the girl he has just danced
with At large hop with nearly three
hundred couples on the floor the con-
fusion is imaginaby great. Sometimes
little girls, unused to the situation that
arises. become really vexed at the non
production of long awaited partners, but
the knowing ones quickly conform them
selves to existing conditions. and they are
Just pleased when Midshipman Jones.
whom they did not know. is presented to
take the dance of Mdshipman Thompson.
equally unknown and more elusive. The