The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26

- ERTA1N hours Of the day and
night I have been spending in
the world that dances. A world
excessively Babylonian. ct is
understood, Of course, that New York
is a city excessively Babylonian; this
perturbing truth is engraved in the
heart Of every Connecticut farmer
like a triangle in a circle.)
Now in this world that cannot keep
it's legs still I had many adventures
none Of them unfit for publication.
The one liked best was my experience
with the Ambassador from Chile-or
was 1t Ecuador. or Brazil? He was
little tea table in dance hall; with him
was his daughter. or perhaps his niece,
terrible little girl with the eyes OF a
black panther. But Of greater impor-
lance to this article was the Unknown
Man.
He was young. earnest man. dressed
in the bright checks Of spring; ne was
so insignificant looking ne might have
been any one at all; but that was only
his way; in reality he was Secret
Agent of Refinement. tThat is the sort
Of thing that lends itself to thought.)
OF course, didn't get this out of him
all at once. It was only little by little
and finally in Broadway cafe-that he
unfolded himself. Then learned that
he is one of a little group Of selfless
uplifting people who have gone in for
refining New York.
Tell me about Them" said. And he
told me.
There, In the Broadway cafe, the Tn
known Man talked beautifully of refine
ment and listened with approval. for
have a passionate love for refinement.
And here are the fac,s-the formidable
and majestic facts-I got from the I'm
known Man. Thus:
New York used to take its amuse-
ments in a vulgar way. Its vulgarity
said the Unknown MANI was sinister
and profound as Its sewers. All this
was in the consulate Of Gaynor, a few
years ago. Its barrooms had sawdust
on the floor. Its dance halls were
49, places Of. bleak and blasting impro-
priety. one had to apologize to one
self--and to the gasfitter's daughter
when one took her to a dance.
Even the smart set amused itself In
ways that lacked refinement. 1t wasn't
really refined, you know-just gilded.
1t hardly deserved to be called a smart
set at all. There was something espe.
cially vulgar about the way Ii danced
Indeed the Unknown Man shocked me
by the description he gave of the way
the smart set went on-before It was
given "refncmont.'
And now will you hear CPatience!
the day is young) how refinement came
to New York?
SIX or seven years ago young Eng
lishman %. DISTINGUISHED famlly-one OF
his sisters had married a Weldon Gros-
smlth-cam" to New York to pay small
part in The Girl Behind the Counter
un Enpand really smart peop.e go on
the stage. He danced and pleased
1t was acrobatc dancing, but Of the
most rch@,d sort. This / have on the
authority Of the Unknown Man; II was
not IN my horoscope to be in New
York when Vernon Castle brought aero
battle refinement to town..
a little later he joined one OF Lew
Fields's refined companies. 1t was al
prepare tory to his life work, which was
opening up before him. Three years age
he married Miss Irene Foote of New
Rochelle, She had always been fond
OF dancing, in an amateur way in her
own set in New Rochelle and in order
TO be with Mr. Castle she went on the
stage with Mr. Castle and Mr. Castles
dancing became even more refined. They
crossed the sea to Paris mails aussi
quel!e vll.e,).
Were you there that season.
They played at the Folies Bergere
without causing an earthquake of vol
canic erupt!ons, but at nights they
danced at the Cafe de Paris. Now the
Cafe de Paris was the throne room OF
Maurice. The Vernon Castles put hi.
nose out Of joint. The Vernon Castles
cooked The goose OF Maurice. The,
danced to negroid ragtime "A turkey trot
but 1t was a refined turkey trot. Such
experts in refinement as the late Clinch
smith and the present Tony Drexe
w wild over 1t. Miss Elizabeth Mar
o. came In from her country place