RETURN OF THE CHAPERON.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXIV, Issue 3056, 24 February 1913, Page 4

RETURN OF THE CHAPERON.

SOCIETY FINDS IT CANNOT DO

WITHOUT HER

For two seasons the chaperon in London society oil the highest class found her occupation gone. Boy and girl dances, with the hostess tor sole duenna; were the first step to her dismissal, and young womanhood soon fouE^J 'tself almost completely emancipated. It was regarded as quite dowdy to bi accompanied in the usual manner of past years by a married friend, who wvs supposed to have one in her charge during a dance or at thi pLy. Borne mothers were doubtful as to the propriety of this state of things. Others took very kindly to it. After all the lot of the chaperon is not ' rcses, roses all the way." The soci ty of other. chaperons, hints a wrtcr in the "Queen," is not in* \ riably, found to be stimulating. But the season just passed has c 11 d them into requisition again. Society gave the new plan a fair irL.l, and then decided to reject it. Perhaps the chaperon was a little (.op c:n;ci.ntious in the performance cf her duties. Certain it is that she h w takes a much lighter view of them. She has learned her leaso*. Her former idea that the girl in her charge should return to her after every or nearly every dance h s bee^ corrected. No longer does, she need^ to take up, her position in "some corner easily accessible to partners and readily discernible by tho chaperoned. By the new order of things h^er mere presence in the hoi se is all that is required. She arranges ' where she may be found should the girl need her, settles with the latter the hour ©f going home, and then dismisses her charge frcm her mind for the evening. One of the principal duties of the Victorian chaperon was to eneourare eligible partners and to discourage detrimentals. This would I c regarded as unwarrantable interforence by" the emancipated girl of the present moment. :. What would be her indignation if the lady should venture to look for h«r in the various nooks lor sitting out Without which no hostess would dr. am cf giving a dance ? Ict such things as those were done l.y the stern duenna of Victorian <l,ra. She now has learned her IL\C3, and has taken to heart Talleyrand's immortal saying, "Burtout, parf trop de zelc !" K;it why has she been reinstated ? The other plan was found unsatisfactory. All concerned had found it so. The hostess first perceived that her responsibility \became heavy. V The mothers of girls invited discovered that the disadvantages offthe situation at times 'became acute. The girls themselves acknowledged that ever ready scandal found a queer tongue when no chaperon was present to offer a shield against calumny. They found that they were positively 'more at liberty to do as they liked when chaperoned than could be possible otherwise. Last of all, but far from feting least, ybuiig men prefer the presence of the chaperon. How get rid of the girl after a dance if one cannot take her back to one appointed spot? The situation had'other difficulties. Sitting out with a "charming girl is all very well for half an hour, or so, but the amusement if prolohgeVl is apt to ■ lead- to risks connected with matrimony; by giving a chauee to scajulal. ■'v- ' A 1 parties being tacitly agreed, then, the chaperon returns to her t Lire, with its few r. pleasures and its m ivy renal tics. -Society has dis(o v cred that it cannot do without her. : ■■,-...■ ■■••'-■' •j. ■•.!■