DANCING BOYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1926, Page 4

DANCING BOYS.

I remember, says ii. If. Rrothorton in the London " Daily Afail.” lung ago, a bad boy who, as the night of the invitation drew near, prayed that someone might develop measles so that lie would have a good excuse lor not going. He hated dancing. Now, as his hair begins to grey, he sees hoys who go just as eagerly to a dance as their sisters do. Why we, who were in our ’teens thirty-live years ago, had such nil objection to dancing I cannot say now. Rut the dislike was real enough. Each generation of hoys has. I suppose, its own prejudices. We in the ’nineties fought against overcoats, scorin’ gloves, and blushed if we found ourselves thinking of another fellow by h>‘Christinn name. Probably it is very different now. There are. no doubt, quite other prejudices in the boyish mi ml. Certainly our IVar of dressing up and looking ridiculous must have passed, or hoys would never have been quite proud to wear Oxford trousers this year.

Another tiling wo feared was doing anything girlish. Atony of us. to cu

regret now, would not learn music

cause it was, as we thought, a gii accomplishment. Dancing was w enough for the pretty little tilings w could skip and trip lightly in fairy pi an;l white over the polished floor. I

we clod-hopping fellows wanted a worthier amusement.

Roys and girls have drawn nearer together in (heir hobbies and pursuits, and share their amusements now as they certainly did not share them in times, which i.-> probably why the hoy lias come to lake up dancing and enjoy it.

However that m.av he. the dancing hoy has come. Provided lie cultivates some outdoor sports as well, the comradely mingling ul the sexes is all to the good ; hut. looking at the hov.s and

youths who lounge around the West End hotels and dancing places in the afternoon and smoke and drink cocktails and (lance, 1 cannot help wondering whether the spirit of virile British manhood burns in them as it did in the fellows of my day. who would have been facing the fast howler at the nets or tackling a pair of bony knees.