THE VOLUNTEER BALL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 117, 21 May 1867, Page 3

THE VOLUNTEER BALL.

To the Editor of the 'Nelson Eveninc Mail.' Sir — la perusing the series of advertisements which appears in your columns, with reference to the approaching celebration of her Majesty's Birthday, I was somewhat astonished to find in the announcement of the Volunteer Ball, that "Tickets (lady and gentleman), 12s. 6d. each," were "procurable of the Stewards.'* I must honestly confess that, to my mind, this notice savours very strongly of the (Casino or some similar entertainment of questionable morality, and, had I been ignorant of the real state of the case, I should certainly have refused to allow auy of the female members of my family to attend the ball. But, feeling confident that the- names of the Stewards are a sufficient guarantee against the intrusion of aoy objectionable individuals, I can have no hesitation in participating, with my family, in the gaieties of the Birthday Ball. Yet at the same time I cannot resist saying that such an announcement is calculated to impress our friends at a distance with a very strange, and, let me add, a very false idea of the respect which is felt for les bienseances by the good people of Nelson. I am sure I need not remind you that, according to present ideas of propriety, no gentleman would dream of accompanying a lady, and especially an unmarried lady, to a public ball (except, of course, under very special circumstances) unless he stood to her in the relation of either father or brother, and that the transgression of this rule would be visited very heavily by society upon the parties concerned. . I am, &c, Pater. Nelson, 20th May, 1867. [Our correspondent will see that the advertisement, of which he very reasonably complains, has been altered. Ed.