A DANCING CONTEST.

North Otago Times, Volume XXV, Issue 979, 21 June 1902, Page 1

A DANCING CONTEST.

fo£&. Bv a Mbre Spectator.' , , rf»LEARLY lb Is anightof nights. On tin VJ/ dewy pavement stand several hatlosa girls «iii omudgy-facod boys, shuffling in their efforts to keep warm, and obliterating thus tli© chalked squares made, hours sinco, by infantilo players of hopscotch. The atoub, plonleously bcchinned lady at the eating.; house close by, who by proud placard offers Beef Puddings Same LrKE Your Mother Makes, puts apron over her head, ascends a pair of wooden steps, and stands then riskily the better to viow the fun, ' To tin half-opened door of the house comes norvonsly at tiinos a small dingy servant. A board in the narrow sooty garden bears a discreet notice on damp pink note-paper :- A Dakciko Compbtition (open to members of classes and friends) will be held here .on Thursday evening next. Fancy dress ■ permitted.' Private lessons given. Terms i most reasonable. Applytp the Misses Duck. And athwart this has been written in violet ink "To-night," The guests come slowly at first; but, few though they bo, the gratification to tho crowd is immense, When a short stout lad walks up clothed in a mackintosh which fails to conceal the fact that his faco is blackened there are cries of " Good 010 Ketchy wyo." When three ladies in muslin, having arrived by 'bus, approach gingerly, they are hailed with falsotto shrieks .of offended modesty. " Oh, Tottio! Fll tell your mar!" Up the stops and half through the dirtily lighted passage, turn to the right, and there is the HallofDance,. Thocarpot has been taken up; the folding doors have been unhinged, and are standing against.the walls, pretendiug to bo cupboards. There is in the air an odour oi cheap perfume, chained somewhat by the scent from two large paraffin lamps which a'ssist the gus. The dozen or moro revollers already here, clothed for the most part in some economic style of eccentric drees, are inpectlng eagerly certain articles displayed on the mantelpiece A slightly soiled white feather fan is marked "first Prize," a music-case is marked "Second Prize," and "Third Prize" roposes on a pair of glovo-stretchers, On a muff 'and'apair of silver gilt bracelets "Extra Prizes," A freckled girl with a tainbourino in her hand sniffs, and says in a gruff |whisper thab she reckons the old girls found'om, • ! The older Miss Duck, rather spare and rather grey, is amiable to an incalculable extent. In this ahe is equalled only by her moro youthful sister, who, decked with bunches of chrysanthemums and papr roses, represents Flora. Most of the ladies are a little cool and dittrait, and disinclined to respond to their overtures, Those in fancy dress (which for many consists in but a slight shortening of the skirts) sit on aged rout-seats and try to hide their ankles. The gentlemen, all young, dressed in jackets made of Lloyd's, or in overcoats of white calico, or in gaily-colourod slouch hats, or in remote imitations of Salvation Army uniform—tbes* gaily-bedecked youths Stand in groups and talk in undertones. Presently the younger Miss t)uck runs to the piano and hits a few chords; her sister claps her hands in the manner of an insistent Turk and says shrilly, "Gentlemen, partners please, for a waltz." Runs thon to a young lady in naval attire—that is to say, short blue print dress white peaked cap (as worn by tne elite at Margate)—and on her attention forces the presence of a shy moody youth, not in fancy dress, with narrow black whiskers adown his face, suggestive of a new kind of complimentary mourning,who is by the young lady grudgingly accepted. Runs back to another lady rather stout and very sulky, in mauve red ribbons, and a guitar, and bids her not to mind sitting out this dance, because Miss Pcarce's brother will be here directly • and " then" (this waggishly and with a feint of digging the sulky lady in the ribs), "then t/ouWbeall right." Another ecstatic clap of the hands and by the elder Miss Duck, a waltz, "The Garden of Sleep," clouded with many variations, is played. . They dance well, With exceptions (one the lad who has blackened his face, and : whoso partner, a protty little Jowess, with a ! cardboard ruff around her neck, demands of him eventually, with somo acerbity, why he don't danco on the floor)-with this and ono or two other exceptions tho dancing of the waltz is excellent, Then a quadrille: a quadrille of comic songs. Now, your comic song being a rare leveller, this is the time for cessation of chilly behaviour, The cool of tho evening departs j there is much giggling as the mor« humorous of the gentlemen lend vocal aid. They're after me, they're after me, ;: * To capture me is every one's desire J 7 They're after me, they're after me, For I'm the individual they require,

It is this sort of thing that drives clouds away; when it is finished the aspect mid the mannors are alike changed, 'there is a lound of much breathless conversation, " —to her I says treat mo as a lady, I says, and I'll treat you as one. I'm not a worm, Miss Smithers, I says, and no amount of treading on won't make mo one, 1 says. I tell you she was took aback. ' What,' she says, 'you impudent young thing, that hasn't been in the workshop five minutes.' Look here, I says, Miss Sniitliers,my father's a master builder in Bow, I says, so you'd hotter be careful what you say, or else"— In the recounting by soprano voices of stirring victories of debate there is this to be noted: that whilst the tellor of the tale has throughout the incidont comported herself witli dignity and spoken with faultless elocution, her opponent has (seemingly) a cringing manner and a weak uncertain voice which from the first sots you against her. The talk and the dances go on. It is in the midst of a noisy ladies' chain that the miniature servant comes to tho door and beckons mysteriously to the elder Miss Duck. The piano stops. The younger Miss Duck looks at'hersclf in a small mirror, and adjusts a vagrant curl. There is a hush in tho place. Comes then with, the elder Miss Duck a shaky shabby little man with waxed purple moustaches and black rimmed pwce-na—M. Kron, He is to judge the dancing. To say that the Misses Duck make much of liim is to give no idea of the cordiality of his reception. "Will lie take a glass of sherry wine!" " Will he have a biscuit or something V " Will he come to the fire and warm himself ?" M. Puron flicks from his shiny frock-coat a shred of tobacco and takes a glass of sherry. Ho takes another j ho would fain sip a third but that the elder Miss Duck craftily bears the decanter away. The Misses Duck between them made a brief speech, Monsur Peron has come'from the West-end—he is doing them a great honour, we're sure, by coming—travelling all the way from Westminster Bridge-all tho way by that dreadful Underground—for if anybody knows what dancing is (thus the younger Miss Duck with a little shiver of onthusiasm which makes her flowers and ivy rustle) it is Monsur Peron. Hero the gentleman roteiTOil to lifts his hands deprocatingly; but as the younger Miss Duck insists ho, with a shrug, gives way, "Monsur Peron will now proceed to judge."' In front of tho'firo, and supported by the mantelpiece M. Pelon stations himself. Each lady chooses a partner (this is one of tho rules ofthogame), and cortainof the more gifted youths are at a premium. There is more giggling ; the little Frenchman looks on judicially, Then to a waltz tune, they dance. M, 'Peron looks bard and sympathetically at 'a tall thin damsel in muslin, with a red sash across her brcasfc-a vivandiere—and she flushes with delight. \h peers steadfastly at the toes of Queen Mury, and Queen Mary nearly stumbles in her confusion, 'The walta ended, M. Pewn lays (in a queer piping voice), "If yon pleas• «jd«tf ygvjg.MiM, nw.jiWptt.'L

The schotfctßche being "a dance demanding, as Mr, Sapsoa would say, some little thought, some fever of the brow, it results that partners of non-learned youths have their chances reduced. It is a necessity of the said youths to time their steps by muttering "One, two, three, hop," and like encouragements to accuracy. After the schottische, at the desire of the judge, another waltz,

Tho music ceases, The dancing ceases, M..l'eron drops \iis pinct-Mz and carefully closes it, The two Misses Duck hurry to him, For a few moments the three converse. Then to the competitors, all of whom have assumed a fine air of indifference, the Missos Duck turn, "Miss Chcesman?" The modern edition of Queen Mary comes forward, "Miss Beecher!" A mature lady in black skirts that are brief, with, in her hair, a nickel star, comes. "Miss Turley!" A damsel in a non-fanoy dress. With claborato shaky bows, with prciuso compliments, does M. Vtron convey to each a prix de davit. The two other happy souls the bracelots and the muff. " Ladies," says M. Pcron, " each of you, all dunce superb. Hegires me much great delight to come here,, I have reminded myself thus of Paris. Kmv I go. I have the honour to wish you, Indies, and my true friendx, with much plcasuro, good ovening!" And with the assistance of the Misses Duck tho judge retires. —Si. JamdsGaztlle.