WEDDED AT A DANCE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1925, Page 1

WEDDED AT A DANCE

A FANCY DRESS CEREMONY. A strange wedding service lias been performed at a fashionable dance club in New York. Many exciting “stunts” had been carried out to amuse the guests, but they were capped when tho orchestra suddenly reused playing a waltz and switched over to tho “AA’ctilling ATarcli.” Two of the best-known people among the dancers who were Till in fancy dress, then headed a procession along the room.

Tho man was attired as an Indian prince and the girl was dressed as an Arlesienne. Together the couple stood before a justice who had suddenly been called away from a banquet to unite the couple. He duly wedded them and the hall continued. Tho couple received much chaff from the other dancers, who nil thought that the affair was just, another “stunt” to amuse them. Next day. however, tho wed ding was duly announced and was followed up by a religious ceremony. A more exciting incident interrupted a dance in greatly differing surroundings from this fashionable club. It was at a small dance-hall in Paris, where half-a-dozen couples—workmen in .velveteen trousers and red sashes, and girls enjoying their evenings ‘‘off” were dancing to the music of a makeshift orchestra. Suddenly a newcomer who had just, started dancing left- his partner as they drew level with another couple, the man of whom was a, dangerous-looking follow with a scarred face.

The newcomer sprang upon the other man and simultaneously three police came up with drawn revolvers ready to use them should the man resist his attacker. Tt was an arrest, for the man with the scarred face was an apache who, an hour previously, had Wen engaged in a revolver duel with Hie police. Tlie dancer who attacked him was a detective disguised as a workman.

GUESTS LOCKED IN A ROOAL Dancers at a AVest End private house received a thrill one night, when an agitated servant hurst into the room anil exclaimed to an Italian noblewoman, “Aladamo your house is on lire!”

The lady found that while she had boon dancing two doors of her mansion had been burned out with the consequent loss of thousands of pounds in extremely valuable antiques and old Italian furniture. Probably that was one of the most expensive dances on record, for. had the lady been at home, the lire might possibly never have occurred. Fashionable dances, where much valuable jewellery is worn, are sometimes marked by sinister incidents. Hotels have their own private detectives, who keep an eye open for possible jewel thieves, or even for otherwise respectable people who may .succumb to sudden temptation. On one occasion at a dinner dance, the guests, including foreign royalty, were locked in a room while the waiters were searched for valuable jewellery which had been missed bv one of the guests. 'HANDCUFFS ON LOVER.''. Even at. private dances hostesses sometimes employ a detective to safeguard guests against “swell thieves, who mav obtain entry into the house in the guise of guests. An amusing incident enlivened one fashionable* dance where such a detective was employed A pair of lovers got tired of dancing, so sat out in the room where the family safe was kept, shutting the door behind them. The detective with an eye to tie safe, became suspicious, and when the couple paid no attention to Ins repeated knocks at the door, he was quite sure that they were trying to rob the safe. AYhen he got the door open he would listen to no explanation, but handcuffed the two dancers and marched them downstairs. Luckily, the daughter of the house met the trio and secured the captives’ release.