and dignity, the management of the train and fan, necessary to that most aristocratic of dances.

dances

Some hostesses have discovered that to give a costume ball requires no more effort on their Informal part than an ordinary dance, while secostume curing the interest of their guests in far greater degree. It has found expression in many informal and amusing frolics. Costumes illustrating titles of books had a season of popularity, and one of the latest expressions of the costume dance is an "Annexation Party." A fun-loving couple, masquerading as Uncle Sam and Columbia, gave a "family party" to enable those who had grown up in the old home in Yankeedom to welcome their new relations. Porto Rican ladies in lace mantillas coquetted with Western cowboys. One, who looked a modern Minerva representing the city of Boston, looked indulgently through spectacles at a wild Filipino, chiefly arrayed in a brown sweater and feather dusters, with a nose-ring. And Chicago, a fair lady wearing her husband's shoes, kindly initiated a brother from the Ladrones into the mysteries of the two-step, while he flourished a large toy popgun. The scene was a merry one, and not an unsmiling face was to be seen.

Barn dances

The

Barn dances are popular in the autumn. horses are given neighborly hospitality, and the empty stalls are turned into bowers of greenery and made luxurious with rugs and seats covered with Turkey-red

cushions, filled with the aromatic pine balsam. The box-stall is provided with a table, where lemonade and punch are served.

To a house-party such a dance made an attractive climax after many pleasure-filled days. The walls of a spacious barn were hung with nature's own tapestry of leaves and grain and "“garden graith." A dado of ripe wheat gave effective contrast to masses of maple leaves above, all aglow and ablaze. From the ceiling hung many Japanese lanterns among green branches, whose glowing light was supplemented by candles in tin sconces masked with bunches of bright leaves. The musicians were mounted upon a coach in one corner. The cotillion favors were whips, small silver whistles, sleigh-bells, photograph frames in the form of nickel horseshoes and stirrups, vegetables and fruits cunningly made of silk, while flowers were held in rustic baskets of burs and birch bark.

The coach-horn sounded a musical peal to announce the supper, which was served at the house. The dancing concluded with a Virginia reel, as is usual with such informal frolics.

HEN a general distribution of halos takes place," once said a bright woman, "the head of the willing and unsung martyr, known as a chaperon, will be found crowned too, I am persuaded, among the world's elect!"

Not many of us will be found worthy to wear one of greater radiance, if cheerfulness, an absolute disregard of self, ingenuity in improvising pleasures in which she takes but an observer's part, and an unwearied amiability that keeps her sweet, smiling, and wakeful until her young charge has had her fill of pleasure, be any qualification for such a reward. The post is no sinecure, and its duties are often a thankless, unenviable task.

Of course the natural chaperon of a girl is her own mother, whose interest in all that in any way concerns her child makes the position an easy one and all her labor of love; but one whose presence is imposed to "play propriety" where no such necessity is recognized, naturally feels the embarrassment of being unwelcome. It is therefore but fair that her position should be understood and defined.

In Europe, and in those parts of America which have felt the influence of old-world customs, the first demand of polished society is that The need young girls shall be properly chaper- of oned. It is considered one of the ele- chaperons gances of life, one of the graces of the best society, and an evidence of the tender respect with which young womanhood is regarded; such a formality being held to safeguard it from all chance of evil or the appearance of it.

The world has grown too small, through the closer intercourse of its civilized peoples, for any to escape its inherited traditions and prejudices.

Time was when we were so provincial and inconspicuous that we could make our own social laws, and we were proud of the freedom that could exist between our young women and their men acquaintances, and protested against the duenna system as a reflection upon their trustworthiness.

Strong in their innate sense of propriety, their moral dignity, discretion, and modesty, the girls felt quite competent to take care of themselves, and the young men resented the suggestion of a chaperon as an insult to their honor. From their mental attitude, their self-respecting standpoint, and the customs of their environment, they were justified, and there are not wanting many yet, to hold these opinions.

To such I would say that chaperonage is a representative thing. It typifies the sheltering care, the jealous protection, of something very precious.

It sets a higher value upon the object by proWhat a tecting and hedging it round in the chaperon eyes of others, and particularly in those stands for of young men who are apt to sigh for the fruit that hangs highest.

The value

of a chaperon

There is no doubt, also, that the presence of a chaperon greatly improves the manners of the young people.

There are girls who are inherently well bred, but who, having the natural, instinctive desire to please, sometimes fear to be considered prim, proper, and "goody-goody," if they do not join in the pranks and imitate the manners of those who seem to be over-much at their ease in young men's society. To such the presence of a chaperon is never an unwelcome restraint.

A loud laugh, familiar manners, unrestrained attitudes, are not attractive; and in the freedom of the club men discuss these matters, and those who fancy that such recommend them are held cheap.

A vivacious girl, with the high spirits of youth and its ignorance of the world and its ways, has sometimes been misunderstood and placed in a false position, which the presence of a chaperon would have averted.

Many a girl would give the world to efface memories of indiscretions of conduct that bring a blush. when recalled. Motherless and brotherless girls are especially in danger of misconception. The often rough criticism of other girls heard from a