Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-08-26
Lure OF THE
DANCE FROCk
No Matter How Old or How
Young, Femininity Still Loves
the Gown She Dons For Fes-
tive Occasions.

In all of the complex and luxurious
wardrobe of woman there is no other
gown possessing the sheer fascination
and lure of the dancing frock. Wheth!
er Il girl is in her teens or in the happy
twenties, and on beyond this into the
years when a woman really COM
mences to understand and rightly
values life-always and always the
dancing frock stands for all that is
joyous, light hearted and gay. Its
folds speak Of the music's rhythm.
whispered words in the ear, the merry
hours, the scent of flowers, then the
dreamy return home, as the stars be-
gin to pale in the sky.
The young girl views her first dane
ing frock with all the rapt awe and
pleasure with which a bride gazes upon
her wedding gown. There it hangs, the
dancing frock, ~shimmering and misty,
a soft cloud of lace, q thousand knots
OF ribbon, perhaps a touch Of silver
or of gold, or wreaths of tinv rose
buds. some faint f%estoons of trailing
vines.
AT last the night arrives. From its
snowy tissue and it's perfumed satin
the dancing frock is carefully unfolded.
BY it are placed the dainty slippers,
the Silken hose. Then, too, the long
gloves, the fan must not be forgotten.
nor the lacy lingerie, the silken under
skirt, which rustles ever S family. In
Innocent pride all Of these lie side by
side upon the snowy counterpane, while
the little lady takes her bath and has
her shining hair combed and swathed
upon her proud small head. At last the
time comes when all else is prepared
and the dancing frock is donned, ever
so lightly. \ touch, a clasp, some little
adjustment here and there and behold.
it is accomplished. There she stands,
all ready from top to toe, fair and rosy,
eyes bright as diamonds, red lips part
ed with eagerness, young heart boating
away for dear life. On tiptoc, as it
Wcre, to be off and away she is like a
white bird ]Quivcring TO unfurl her
bright wings and sail far away into the
cloudless ether.
Who indeed can blame her? Not II
who have yer once known youth and
happiness. Her mother smiles, then
signs just Il little. Who can translate
that sigh? Only the mother, who was
herself just such 4 girl. But the little
dancer knows nausht of this. The rose
leaf of life is still fragrant. uncrunl-
pied, perfect. And who would have if
otherwise? Not one. But those who
cannot again know the mystery of such
blissful ignorance will remember the
Persian tcntmaker's words:
Alas, that youth should perish with the
rose,
That youths sweet scented manuscript
1t is the most natural thing that a.
girl wants to look her best in her dane
ing frock, her very best. her most SUI
perlative best. Not Il line upon the
forehead, not so much as an imperfect
touch upon the cheek, not one shadow
about the mouth. not ever one enlarg-
ed pore upon the nose. No, the COM
pleXiOn must be as smooth and as,
silken as a swans breast. as softly
tinted as a seasheIl.
The dainty and delicate dancing
frock calls for a dainty and delicate
complexion. One cannot go without
the other. What use, indeed, are lace.
and tulle and satin and pink rose
buds if there arises out Of this foam
of beauty the cOuntenance somewhat
pale or salloW, with brown marks:
upon it, or with small or large pimples
here and there? The effect is incon-
gruouS in the extreme. Then, too, the.
bright lights Of the ballroom. the col
larless gown. h carefully dressed
hair all serve to ac%centuate and en-
phasize complexion defects. large or.
small. Some may fatter themselves
that a liberal amount of powder or Of
cream or of rouge masks and hides
them. This is true at the beginning,
but inside of a half hour these outward
helps fall away, as the dancer becomes
warm with the exercise, and the girl
who looked passably well when she
came into the room her is seen to be
far from perfect in complexion.