The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-25
THE CHAPERON
Her Revival as a Social Institu- tion Has Come Has
 Difficulties.
HER NUMEROUS DUTIES
An old Occupntion-Thc Ncw Order of Things Is Novel and
 Necessary.

For two seasons the chaperon in London society of tho highest class found her occupation gone Boy-and- girl dances, with the hostess for sole ducnna were the first step to her dis mss2l, and young womauhood soon found itself almost completely emau- cipated. It was regarded as quite dqwdy to he accompanied in the usual manner of past years by married friend, who was supposed to have one iu her charge during dance or at a play says the Queen
 Some mothers were doubtful as to the proprioty of this state of things Others took very kindly to it, After all, the lot of the Chaperon Is not "ros- es, roses all the way" Whlo youth and beauty chase the hours with flying feet middle age is not always well amused Tho society of other chnperous Is not invariably found to be stimulating. Boredom Is Imminent. in the absence of some specially Interesting topic. An exposition Of sleep may even ada It's discomfort to the state of things, Small wonder that some among the discarded bore their dismissal with more than cGnanimity
 But the season just past has called them into requlsitlon again. Society gave the new plan a fair trial and then decided to reject it. The chaperon is re- instatcd. Perhaps she was a little too conscientious In the past in the per- formance of her duties Certain lt is that she now takes a much lighter view of them. She has been taught her lesson. Her former idea that the girl in her charge should return Co her after every, or nearly every dance has been corrected No longer does she need 10 take up her position In some corner easily accessible to partners and readily dlscernlhlo hy the chaperoned By the new order of things her mere presence in the house is an that Is re- puired, To it she need not even ac- company her charge or charges, though this remains fairly usual and lt is still imperative that she takes them Co their homes when the dance is done,
 A conversation held not long since between two ladies throws some light upon the up-to-date girls Ideas on tho subject q hope Myra gave you no trouble at tho ball, said Myra's moth cr None whatever" was tho reply, "T never saw her from tho moment she left me for her first dance until 3 o'clock, when she came to inform me she was ready to leave" The acldlty of tono in this reply left no doubt as to tho speakers opinion of Miss Myras manners "Yes, responded the other, ! 'she always dances every dnuce"- remark that seemed to justify the girl But this was from an apparently in- dulgent mothers point of view. I'n- willingly as though it had been fore ed from the lady, came tho addition. ' hone she did not kocp you up too Ilnte?' '1f conld have found her. [ should have left rather earlier, was tho feed reply
 Another point of view of similar cas- os is to be had from a second crigoaa Myra speaks: "Wel mother every 1 timn I tried to find her I was told she was at supper. If I had disturbed her at her meal, she would not have thank ! cd mo" Had the rbaperon heard thls she would probably have said. "Woll what next? Is one supposed to have Inc supper? Ia one to sit Tn drnughts ! the whole evening stidlng yawns bor- 1 cd to death and not even leave the |ball room for refreshmonts?"
 Rut this arauaus role belonged only l to the chaperon Of seasons since The |up-to-date article is better trained She arrangos where shc may be found should the girl need her: settles with
 the latter thc hour of going home. and then dismisses her charge from her mind Circumstances oecaslonallv
 arise which make if Imperative that she should be available The girl may
 be ill or as happened at a recent hall. she may fly to her guardian or the eve ming, hreathless. "Oh, Lady .-. rvo engaged myself to two mon for this dance, and they are having such row
 in the corrid0rl Let ue go homtl"
 One of the principal duties of the l Victorian chaperon was to encourage eligible partners and to discourage de- trmcntals, This would he regarded as .unwanantablo Interference hy the cmanclnatcd girl of the present mos mcnt And what would he her lndig nation if the lady in question should venture to look for her in the various
 uoolSa for "sitnnR-out," without which no hostess would dream of giving a dance? Yet such things as these were
 done by the stern duonua of Victorian
 days Ghe now has "Ionrnod her
 place. and has taken 10 heart Tal- leyrand's immortal saying, "Surtout, pas trop de zelel"
 But why has she been roinstatod? It
 was found that tho other plan was
 unsatisfactory An concerned have
 found jt go, The hostess, first per
 ceived that her responsibility became
 heavy The mothers of girls invited
 discovered that the disadvantages of
 the situation at times became acute
 The girls themselves acknowledged
 that ever-ready scandal found a rrecr
 tongue when no chaperon was present
 to offer shield against Calumy They
 found that they were positively more
 at liberty to do as they liked when
 chaperoncd than could be possible oth-
 erwiso And, last of all. but far from
 being least, young men prefer the pres
 encc of the chaperon, How get rid ot
 a girl after a dance If one cannot take
 her back to one appointed spot? The
 situation had other difficulties. sitting