"MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE?"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 108, 25 April 1908, Page 3

"MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE?"

"MY PARTNERS "-THE YOUNG ,„ 'MAN'S WHAT OF VIEW.

When u young man at a dance asks live girl to whom he has just been introduced, whether he "Hay have the pleasure?" how often does he really mean it'/ Very seldom, jt am afraid. In nine eases out of ten, what he rcaltj means is this: "Whilst 1 would much rather dance with the one who is glancing over in my direction, llewrthcles, 1 have been introduced to you by my hostess, and have therefore to comply with the formality of asking you for the first available waltz on your' programme." I For, truth to tell, the young ladies one is accustomed to meet at° dances , are by no means of the most intellectual types, 'fake, for instance, the girl with the pale gold hair, dressed all in white.' She is di-citledly pretty. ]( u t what will happen ■when her dance comes round' linelly ami frankly, nothing. After a lew turns you make some remark with rolereiice to the smoothness of the polished floor, or tire charm of the music. Nio says -Yes," and you take a feumore turns. Then you say how jolly .lances are, and she s .,y s '"Yes," they are. then, alter you have taken a few move turns still, you mention that at times dances, on the other hand, appeal to you as -inanely foolish," and she agrees will, you ami says -Yes;' perhaps they are. hnially, when von ask hcr in deviation what she tliinks ol socialism, she answers-Yes/ s ]„. thinks perhaps it is.

Indeed, she has only five sentences in her vocabulary—"J Tow do yol , ,[„»" ••i;oiid-bK,"'\es,"" l \e," nml ''.\ Vill v( ;„ I «et me another strawberry iee,' 'please''" Von turn with relief to v'oui- ne.u partner, who begins talking nineteen to the dozen aotmt horses ami cricket and football. 01 course, her muscles are somewhat weil-devcloped, but she does not care "that" for looks and lovc-mak-ing, and wears sliorl sleeves despite ],..,• bowling arm. "Wccausc," -he says, "thev give one so much greater freedom'," He',heroes are llayward and llaekensdiiuidt. When you mention Fry she exclaims "Ooi'i!" And when yon refer to Jessop, she says, "Ho can't half hit, can lie'/" .Makiug you wonder whether you oughtn't to reply, "Kuther; I shouldn't think he just, can!" On the whole, perhaps, you like her; but you decidf that it is it pity.

iour next partner is dressed in deep rod, with a deep red liow iii her hair, and she looks at least More intellectual.' When she asks- you if you would' cam' In sit it out, you decide that she is quite intellectual; but when she walks uiiliesitulingly into the conservatory, you begin to wonder. She then leans back and asks you to lan lier, wind] may make her cool, but makes you uncommonly hot. Finally, you suggest, an ice in Ihe refreshment-room, which is twice as effective as the Fan. inasmuch as it immediately freezes her,

Then there is tire good natured gasper of forty—a friend of the hostess—such an old friend—used to go- to school together—knew you when you were in petticoats—oil, how slippery the Moor is, and how fast they are playing the waltz—well, we can't—always keep—young—and—and if I don't, sit down at once I shall Hop down! : Also, you dance with tli'e affected girl, who can't—or doesn't—pronounce her "r's," and the Kuffragette girl—a recent arrival—who can pronounce her views. Present, likewise, are the deep girl, who wor.-hips Nietschc; and the Waller girl, and

And of course, ' Uic" one, upon whom you have kept one eye the whole night, through, but to whom you have never had the fortune to be introduced.